As of 2012, 212 facilities (45 percent of significant facilities in the watershed) have limits in effect that meet water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and SAV/clarity.
Analysis & Methods (101 KB) Alan Quimby from Queen Anne’s County, Maryland Sanitary District explains how wastewater treatment plants throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed are being upgraded to reduce pollution.
Produced by Matt Rath
Music: “A Moment of Jazz” by Ancelin
The Bay cannot be restored without water that is clean, clear and rich in oxygen. Currently, the Bay and its rivers receive too much nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment for the ecosystem to remain healthy. Wastewater treatment plant discharges are one of the primary sources of these pollutants, and permit limits drive efforts to reduce loads. However, annual wastewater discharges are affected by multiple factors including weather events.
This indicator provides important information on progress toward having permit limits in effect that meet applicable water quality standards to supplement information on pollutant loads associated with wastewater, which are tracked in the Reducing Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sediment Pollution indicators.
To have wastewater limits in effect that meet applicable water quality standards at 467 significant wastewater facilities (100 percent of the significant wastewater facilities within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed) by 2025. Compared to 2009, this would represent an increase of 448 facilities (96 percent of significant facilities in the watershed).
Amount completed since 1985
In 1985, zero significant wastewater facilities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (zero percent of significant facilities in the watershed) had permit limits in effect that met water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and SAV/clarity in the Bay and tidal waters. As of 2012, 212 facilities (45 percent of significant facilities in the watershed) have limits in effect that meet water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and SAV/clarity. This represents an increase of 212 facilities (45 percent significant facilities in the watershed).
Amount completed since 2009
In 2009, 19 significant wastewater facilities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (four percent of significant facilities in the watershed) had permit limits in effect that met water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and SAV/clarity in the Bay and tidal waters. As of 2012, 212 facilities (45 percent of significant facilities in the watershed) meet water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and SAV/clarity. This represents an increase of 193 facilities (41 percent of significant facilities in the watershed).
Amount completed in 2012
As of 2012, 212 facilities (45 percent of significant facilities in the watershed) meet water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and SAV/clarity. This represents an increase of 60 facilities (13 percent of significant facilities in the watershed) compared to 2011.
Full footnote for chart: Based on date that a permit containing an effluent limit that meets dissolved oxygen and SAV/clarity standards becomes effective. Does not include assessment of chlorophyll-a standards, pending the staged implementation approach for wastewater treatment facilities in the James River Basin discussed in Appendix X of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL established in 2010.
Wastewater discharges are a major source of nitrogen and phosphorus delivered to the Chesapeake Bay. Permit limits drive efforts to reduce loads. This indicator shows how many wastewater facilities have permit limits in effect that will meet water quality standards for dissolved oxygen, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), and water clarity in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal waters, according to the Chesapeake Bay TMDL.
The indicator does not assess limits to meet water quality standards for chlorophyll-a pending the staged implementation approach for facilities and a study underway of chlorophyll-a in the James River, as described in Appendix X of the Bay TMDL.
Facilities are expected to meet permit limits when they take effect through facility upgrades or other means, such as purchasing credits through established exchanges or trading programs. Therefore, effective permit limits are a measure of on-the-ground efforts to restore water quality, assuming that the on- the-ground effort schedules are consistent with the permit effective dates.
This indicator does not track permit compliance. The indicator supplements annual wastewater discharge information in the Reducing Pollution indicators, which is affected by multiple factors including weather events.
In December 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency established a pollution diet for the Chesapeake Bay, formally known as the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load or Bay TMDL. The Bay TMDL is designed to ensure that all nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution control efforts needed to fully restore the Bay and its tidal rivers are in place by 2025, with controls, practices and actions in place by 2017 that would achieve at least 60% of the reductions from 2009 necessary to meet the Bay TMDL. The Bay TMDL sets pollution limits (allocations) necessary to meet applicable water quality standards in the Bay and its tidal rivers.
The limits for significant wastewater facilities in the Bay TMDL are based largely on Phase I and II Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) developed by Bay jurisdictions. Jurisdictions are currently implementing these WIPs. When all practices are in place to meet the Bay TMDL, 467 significant wastewater facilities (100 percent of significant facilities in the watershed) will have permit limits in effect that meet water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and SAV/clarity. As noted above, 212 facilities (45 percent of significant facilities in the watershed) have limits in effect that meet these standards as of 2012.
The reporting period for this indicator is the same as the Reducing Pollution Indicators:
Ning Zhou
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Va Tech)
(410) 267-5727
Chesapeake Bay Program
