AlexRenew Celebrates 70th Anniversary of Operations
AlexRenew, originally known as the Alexandria Sanitation Authority (ASA), was created in 1952 in response to pollution in the Potomac River and its tributaries. Before the wastewater treatment plant existed, Alexandria’s network of sewers dumped waste directly into the Potomac, causing harm to local communities and aquatic life. After four years of construction, the ASA began operations on July 27, 1956.
Since the 1950s, the population of AlexRenew’s treatment area has grown from 150,000 to over 320,000, and the plant has increased its treatment capacity from 18 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) to 38 MGD. With the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972 and additional water quality regulations for the Chesapeake Bay, there have also been several rounds of upgrades to meet water quality regulations.
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Welcoming Healthier Waterways
Although AlexRenew has seen name and branding changes since the 1950s, our mission of treating wastewater to protect public health and the environment remains the same. This year AlexRenew completed RiverRenew, a major environmental initiative to reduce combined sewer overflows into the Potomac River. We have also begun additional plant upgrades to meet evolving regulatory requirements and improve the resilience of our infrastructure. With seventy years of service to the Alexandria community under our belt, we look forward to continuing to build a thriving community and healthy environment for all.
