Provided by Prince William County Service Authority (PWCSA)
The Prince William County Service Authority’s H.L. Mooney Advanced Water Reclamation Facility (Mooney AWRF) has now maintained a perfect wastewater compliance record for 12 successive years.
The plant earned its most recent Platinum Peak Performance Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for continuously meeting the treated wastewater standards set by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The H.L. Mooney AWRF will be recognized at NACWA’s 2021 Utility Leadership Virtual Event on July 20.
“Being able to adhere to all state and federal regulations for more than a decade makes the Mooney AWRF one of the premier treatment facilities in the United States,” said Process Engineer Maureen O’Shaughnessy. “It’s proof that the Service Authority staff operate the plant at an optimal level every day of the year, through hurricanes and pandemics, and take an immense amount of pride in doing their jobs that help preserve public health and our waterways.”
Virginia DEQ requires all water reclamation facilities located in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater during the treatment process before it is returned to the environment. An excess of these nutrients can disrupt the balance of aquatic ecosystems and cause algae blooms in waterways. After undergoing rigorous treatment at the Mooney AWRF, treated wastewater is released into Neabsco Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.
The work of the late Evelyn Mahieu, Ph.D., who served as the Director of the Service Authority’s Environmental Services & Water Reclamation Division from 2013 to 2019, played a significant role in the Mooney AWRF’s record of 100 percent compliance.
“Evelyn cared deeply about her colleagues, and her regulatory expertise played an important role in the day-to-day operations at the plant,” said outgoing Service Authority General Manager Dean Dickey. “We miss her and hope to continue her legacy of environmental stewardship.”
