Protecting Lynchburg’s cherished waterways
Taking a deeper look at the Blackwater CSO Tunnel,
Lynchburg’s largest capital project in history.
This website is your source for the latest updates on the Blackwater CSO Tunnel project. Plus, learn more about
how the tunnel will be built, what it will mean for Lynchburg’s waterways, and more on Lynchburg’s CSO history.
About LYHBeyond
LYHBeyond, the Blackwater CSO Tunnel Project, will be the largest capital improvement project in the City of Lynchburg’s history and the most impactful project to date in protecting our streams and the James River. This project involves the construction of a nearly mile-long, 12-foot in diameter, underground tunnel beneath the Blackwater Creek that can collect and store up to 4.7 million gallons of combined sewage and stormwater during significant rainfalls, keeping it from overflowing into our waterways.
Project map
The Blackwater CSO Tunnel will start at the CSO 52 site located along the Point of Honor Trail and will travel all the way to the bottom of Seventh Street in downtown Lynchburg, following the path of the Blackwater Creek toward the James River. Watch the video below to learn more about how the tunnel will work.
Learn more about the Project Plan and construction impacts here.
More on LYHBeyond
The Latest
Get up-to-date information and the latest news coverage on the Blackwater CSO Tunnel Project here.
More details on how the tunnel will be built, what to know about construction, and a timeline for the project.
Project Plan
CSO History
Lynchburg’s decades-long CSO program has resulted in a 93% reduction in wastewater entering our waterways.
“The Blackwater CSO Tunnel will have a huge environmental benefit for the Blackwater Creek and the James River when it’s done, and it’ll get us very close to being able to say we’re finished with our combined sewer overflow program that we’ve been working on for the past 40 years.”
— Tim Mitchell, Director of Lynchburg Water Resources