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175:(BNR) process was completed in 2000, Blue Plains has every year successfully achieved and exceeded that goal of a 40 percent reduction. In Fiscal Year 2009, the BNR process at Blue Plains reduced the nitrogen load by more than 58 percent. Installation of enhanced nutrient control systems was completed in 2014. The enhanced plant achieves nitrogen effluent levels at 4 mg/L.
249:(WSSC) was established in Maryland in 1918 and operated sewer systems in portions of Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. The commission began to install sewer connections from its service area to the Blue Plains plant in the late 1930s and 1940s. WSSC had built its own sewage treatment plant in
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was a first step in reducing nitrogen discharge to waterways that are tributaries of the
Chesapeake Bay. Under the agreement, the Bay states and the District of Columbia government committed to voluntarily reduce nitrogen loads by 40 percent from their 1985 levels. Blue Plains was the first plant in
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The plant has a treatment capacity of 384 million gallons per day (mgd) or 1.45 billion liters per day, with a peak capacity (partial treatment during large storms) of over 1 billion gallons per day (3.8 billion liters/day). The plant occupies 153 acres (0.62 km) in
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in 1960. Construction of the main interceptor system took place in 1962. Subsequently there have been several pipe extension and maintenance projects. (Other areas in the northern
Virginia suburbs are served by treatment plants operated by
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219:, in 2015. This is the largest thermal hydrolysis facility in the world as of 2016. The system generates high quality sludge that is used as soil amendments (200,000 tons per year). A portion of the sludge is processed in an
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units in 1959, with an expanded discharge capacity of 240 mgd. In the 1970s a major expansion commenced that led to construction of advanced wastewater treatment components, and by 1983 the capacity was 300 mgd.
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The original Blue Plains facility opened in 1937 as a primary treatment facility. It discharged under 100 mgd, serving a population of 650,000. Population increases in the 1950s led to the construction of
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in the 1940s. In the early 1950s WSSC reached agreement with the
District of Columbia government to connect the Bladensburg area to Blue Plains, and the Bladensburg plant was closed.
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As the
Virginia suburbs expanded in the 1950s-1960s, additional sewage treatment capacity was needed for that area. Planners in the Washington metropolitan area, led by the
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269:(which opened to the public in 1962) be served by the Blue Plains plant. This decision required the construction of a 43 miles (69 km)
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Since the mid-1980s, Blue Plains has reduced its phosphorus discharges to the limit of technology, primarily in support of
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the region to achieve that goal. Furthermore, in every year since the full-scale implementation of the
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system which generates 10 MW of electricity that is used elsewhere at the treatment plant.
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464:"DC Water adopts Norway's Cambi system for making power and fine fertilizer from sewage"
562:(Report). Washington, D.C.: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. 2014-04-29.
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to the waterways in which they discharge. These nutrients deplete oxygen and cause
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187:. This award is presented to member agencies for exceptional compliance for their
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facility, and advanced treatment capacity was added in the 1970s and 1980s. The
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in rivers and coastal waters, a process that is detrimental to fish and other
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Wastewater treatment plants historically have contributed nutrients such as
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In 2010, DC Water received the "Platinum Peak
Performance Award" from the
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and meets some of the most stringent permit limits in the United States.
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443:. Washington, D.C.: National Association of Clean Water Agencies. 2010
523:. Laurel, MD: Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. Archived from
370:. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2017-03-10.
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goals of the
Potomac River, but also for the restoration of the
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Blue Plains
Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (brochure)
399:"Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Activities Update"
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reactors, utilizing the Cambi process, installed in 2013
482:"History of the Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant"
317:"DC water treatment plant powers up for cleaner energy"
387:. Annapolis, MD: Chesapeake Bay Program. 1987-12-15.
424:"What's On Tap: Newsletter for DC Water Customers"
628:
652:Public Works Administration in Washington, D.C.
586:Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant
515:
513:
506:. 1938-11-26. p. X17 – via Proquest.
189:National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
48:Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant
263:Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
63:District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority
61:in the world. The facility is operated by the
16:Wastewater treatment plant in Washington, D.C.
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73:that leaves Blue Plains is discharged to the
657:Sewage treatment plants in the United States
642:Buildings and structures in Washington, D.C.
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265:, recommended that the areas around the new
185:National Association of Clean Water Agencies
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356:(Report). Washington, D.C.: DC Water. 2016.
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65:(DC Water). The plant opened in 1937 as a
257:Expanded service to Virginia communities
241:Service connections for Maryland suburbs
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637:1938 establishments in Washington, D.C.
500:"Md. Counties Must Pay for Sewer Lines"
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247:Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
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273:from the Dulles area to Blue Plains.
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94:Expansion of the plant in the 1970s
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560:BPSA Long Term Planning Study 2013
215:system, for improved treatment of
43:Aerial view of Blue Plains in 2022
23:Aerial view of Blue Plains in 2016
14:
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521:"The WSSC -- A Thumbnail History"
368:"Nutrient Pollution: The Problem"
484:. DC Water. 2016. Archived from
315:Pipkin, Whitney (29 June 2022).
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382:"1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement"
296:Upper Occoquan Sewage Authority
277:authorized construction of the
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539:"From Dulles to the District"
462:Halsey, Ashley (2014-04-05).
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211:DC Water began operating its
168:1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement
662:Southwest (Washington, D.C.)
267:Dulles International Airport
31:Main building seen from the
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173:biological nitrogen removal
10:
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429:. DC Water. November 2017.
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135:Nutrient pollution control
59:wastewater treatment plant
86:Capacity and service area
404:. DC Water. October 2009
613:38.820417°N 77.018528°W
191:(NPDES) permit limits.
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109:Prince George's County
101:the southwest quadrant
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36:
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618:38.820417; -77.018528
441:"Platinum Peak Award"
292:Prince William County
251:Bladensburg, Maryland
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590:The Living New Deal
504:The Washington Post
279:Potomac Interceptor
234:secondary treatment
221:anaerobic digestion
290:, Fairfax County,
288:City of Alexandria
213:thermal hydrolysis
209:
205:thermal hydrolysis
119:, and portions of
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81:Current operations
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271:interceptor sewer
179:Operational award
113:Montgomery County
67:primary treatment
54:, is the largest
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195:Sludge treatment
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601:38°49′13.5″N
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543:. Retrieved
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153:aquatic life
149:algal blooms
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321:Bay Journal
631:Categories
604:77°1′6.7″W
545:2024-06-27
541:. DC Water
408:August 25,
302:References
141:phosphorus
447:June 23,
326:21 March
294:and the
275:Congress
145:nitrogen
129:Virginia
117:Maryland
71:effluent
56:advanced
227:History
203:Sludge
35:in 2019
286:, the
166:. The
427:(PDF)
402:(PDF)
385:(PDF)
354:(PDF)
449:2015
410:2010
328:2024
245:The
143:and
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298:.)
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
