Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant and combined sewer flows

The Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant is the District's primary facility that treats sewage and captures combined sewer overflows before discharge to the Potomac River. It is widely described as one of the largest advanced wastewater treatment plants in the world and serves Washington, D.C., and portions of surrounding jurisdictions. In the 2010s Blue Plains underwent multi-year upgrades to improve nitrogen removal and capacity to better manage storm-driven inflows. The plant plays a central role in the city's efforts to reduce pollution delivered by storm drains and combined sewers.