How Dominion plans to treat wastewater at Possum Point

 

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Dominion Virginia Power landed in hot water recently due to its plans to release treated wastewater into Quantico Creek. The corporation is seeking an engineering permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Equality to filter water from the coal ash ponds located at the Possum Point facility in Dumfries.

The DEQ has yet to approve the request. However, Bill Hayden, DEQ public affairs representative, released the draft of the permit report to Potomac Local. According to Hayden, there is no specific timetable for when the permit will be approved.

Last month, Prince William County officials took action to block the permit. The county feared that the operation would negatively impact aquatic life, human health and recreational activities on Quantico Creek and the Potomac River. After “a productive dialogue,” Dominion and the county reached a settlement in early March to allow the operation to continue.

“After extensive dialogue, we as a board are comfortable that the dewatering of the ponds will be done in a way that provides an additional level of protection, and that addresses concerns raised by our residents,” said Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

The 51-page permit report includes project details and the characteristics and treatability of the wastewater. The report also includes diagrams of operation plans and information from water treatment online resources.

Dominion plans to close all five existing coal ash ponds at the Possum Point station by April 2018. The ash ponds were originally constructed as storage units for the toxic coal by-product produced from generated electricity.

Ash ponds A, B and C, located on the eastern bank of Quantico Creek, have remained inactive since the 1960s. Since then, these ponds, as well as ash pond E, have been dewatered until all the ash material was removed. Nickel, copper and lead were among the numerous contaminants in the water.

The material was then stored in ash pond D, the largest on the facility’s grounds. However, Dominion ceased this operation last October and instead has hauled the remaining waste to nearby landfills.

Furthermore, Dominion explained how it would dispose of the current wastewater in ash pond D. The pond water will be drawn at a maximum flow rate of 2,000 gallons per minute through four 21,000-gallon aeration tanks for initial pre-treatment. Next, chemicals will be injected into the water to reach sustainable pH levels. Finally, the treated water will be diverted back to the ash pond and then discharged into Quantico Creek.

This process would occur on a 24/7 basis and the pond is projected to close within the next few months.