Alewife – A small herring discovered in Pohick Creek in the Spring of 2001, upstream of the Noman M. Cole Plant outfall. Alewives had not been observed here since before the plant was built in 1970. The superior wastewater treatment provided by the county enabled the return of the alewife.
Capital Improvement Program (CIP) – A five-year roadmap for creating, maintaining, and funding present and future system requirements. The CIP addresses Wastewater Management's needs relating to the acquisition, expansion, and rehabilitation of long-lived facilities and systems.
Flow Meter – A device installed in a sewer line to measure, in gallons, the quantity of wastewater flow.
Geographical Information System (GIS) – GIS maps graphically indicate man-made and natural features in the county. Wastewater Management uses the GIS to track sanitary sewer line assets and manhole locations.
Gravity Sewers – A series of pipes that collect and carry liquid waste from homes, businesses, schools, etc., through natural gravity flow, to a wastewater treatment plant. This is the most common type of wastewater collection.
Grinder Pump – A type of wastewater pump that grinds up solid material so that it can be pumped into the wastewater system.
Manhole Cover – A metal covering or plug over a sanitary or storm sewer opening designed to prevent accidental or unauthorized access to the manhole.
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit – NPDES permits required under The Federal Clean Water Act authorize point source discharges into waters of the United States in an effort to protect public health and the nation's waters.
Pohick Creek – Pohick Creek receives treated wastewater from the Noman M. Cole Plant. It’s an active spawning site of anadromous (running upstream from the sea) and semi-anadromous fish and flows into Gunston Cove and the Potomac River.
Pressure Cleaning – Sewer cleaning using high-pressure water along with various cleaning nozzles to cut roots and to remove fats, oil, grease, debris, and blockages from the sanitary sewer lines.
Pumping Stations – Facilities that pump or “lift” the flow of wastewater over high points in the wastewater collection system or to a wastewater treatment plant.
Rodding – Sewer cleaning using specialized cutting tools on the ends of lengths of steel rod that, when inserted into the sanitary sewer, mechanically cut roots and remove blockages from the sanitary sewer lines.
Sanitary Sewer System – A system of pumping stations and underground pipes that carries household and non-residential wastewater, not stormwater, to treatment plants.
Septic System – An underground, self-contained, sewage treatment system that has a storage tank where waste is decomposed through bacterial action. In Fairfax County, septic systems are used in areas without sanitary sewer system service.
Sewer Facility Plan – A document that coordinates planning of sanitary sewer facilities and provides a basis for planning the location, extent, and timing of new sewer services. The plan guides Wastewater Management to areas that require more in-depth analysis before actual sewer replacement and treatment plant projects are undertaken.
Storm Sewer System – A system of storm drains, pipes, and holding ponds designed to carry stormwater runoff, in a controlled fashion, to nearby streams.
Stormwater – A term used by engineers to describe precipitation from rain or snow. Stormwater that does not soak into the ground becomes runoff, which either flows into surface waterways or is channeled into storm sewers.
Wastewater – Used water and solids from a community that flow to a treatment plant. Sometimes called sewage, wastewater includes the water you flush down your toilet and the water that drains from your bathtub, sink, washing machine, and many other domestic sources. Businesses and industries also produce wastewater.