View the original press release here.
Charlottesville, VA… May 13, 2026… The Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority is pleased to announce that it only used 35% of its permitted nitrogen discharge allotment and 17% of its permitted phosphorus discharge allotment in 2025. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) administers the permitting program and sets discharge limits based on wastewater plant design capabilities. Guiding principles are derived from the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, a subsidiary of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which was established by the Clean Water Act of 1972.
Background
The Moores Creek Advanced Water Resources Recovery Facility treats 10 million gallons of wastewater per day (~83 million pounds of water). Located north of I-64 between the Woolen Mills and Belmont neighborhoods, the facility serves the City of Charlottesville, the urban ring of Albemarle County, and Crozet. Everything that goes down a sink drain or is flushed down a toilet ends up at the facility.
Wastewater entering the plant contains many contaminants, including human waste, food residues, industrial waste, minerals, fertilizers, detergents, bacteria, parasites, viruses, chemicals, oils, and trash. The wastewater treatment process aims to remove these contaminants so that water can be safely returned to local waterways.
As part of the permitting process, DEQ establishes categorical discharge limits that operating facilities must adhere to. In 2025, RWSA was permitted to discharge up to 19,637 lbs. of phosphorus and 282,994 lbs. of nitrogen. This amounts to approximately 53.8 lbs. of phosphorus and 775.3 lbs. of nitrogen daily. RWSA minimized the discharge amounts and only released 3,311 lbs. of phosphorus and 98,362 lbs. of nitrogen, or 9.07 lbs. and 269.5 lbs., respectively, per day.
Treatment Process
It can take up to 20 hours for wastewater to pass through the Moores Creek Advanced Water Resources Recovery Facility. There is a series of screens, clarifiers (settling basins), aeration basins, filters, and ultraviolet light treatment that cleans and disinfects the water before it is released back into Moore’s Creek. The treatment process relies on both biological and chemical processes to produce clean and safe water.
Once treated, water is released into Moores Creek, which flows into the Rivanna River, then the James River, and ultimately reaches the Chesapeake Bay.
Nutrient Exchange Program
RWSA is an active member of the Virginia Nutrient Credit Exchange Association. The program includes both public and private wastewater treatment facilities across Virginia. Entities can trade credits collectively to enhance water quality across multiple sources. Well-performing facilities that discharge below their permitted limits can sell their unused credits to the nutrient exchange. In fiscal year 2025, RWSA generated $108,804.76 in revenue from credits. The inflow of revenue helps offset operating costs.
How Does RWSA Achieve these Efficiencies?
The ability to exceed the governing expectations for nutrient removal is attributed to the dedication of the wastewater team and the community’s commitment to funding RWSA’s infrastructure projects. The Moores Creek Advanced Water Resources Recovery Facility operates around the clock and on holidays to ensure wastewater is treated effectively, so that downstream aquatic life is not harmed by contaminants.