Virginia Wastewater Plant Surpasses 1 Billion Gallons Treated, Added To Potomac Aquifer

The Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD), the regional wastewater treatment agency in Southeastern Virginia, announced in October that the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) had surpassed 1 billion gallons of treated wastewater injected into the Potomac Aquifer. Replenishing the aquifer is crucial because it is the primary source of groundwater throughout eastern Virginia.

SWIFT is a water treatment project along the Virginia coastline designed to protect the region’s environment and enhance the sustainability of its long-term groundwater supply. The process works by taking treated water — that would otherwise be discharged into the Elizabeth, James or York rivers — and further purifying it to drinking quality standards before pumping it into the aquifer. This unique approach not only helps to secure the region’s long-term groundwater supply, but also provides powerful solutions to combat land sinking and the delivery of harmful nutrients to the Chesapeake Bay — a critical environmental win.