Since 1984, Fairfax County and George Mason University have worked together to study water quality and aquatic life in Gunston Cove. Gunston Cove is part of the Potomac River. The county's Noman M. Cole, Jr. Water Recycling Facility (NMCWRF) releases cleaned wastewater, or effluent, into Pohick Creek. Pohick Creek flows to Gunston Cove. Since the late 1970s, Fairfax County has taken big steps to reduce nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. These nutrients are a major cause of water pollution. Levels of these pollutants, and others, have dropped dramatically over the years thanks to advanced treatments.
The NMCWRF has had an increase in the flow of water it cleans, so the success is impressive. Fairfax County has shown how smart wastewater management can clean up water and help restore aquatic ecosystems. Gunston Cove has become an important example of how to recover an ecosystem, not just for the Chesapeake Bay area but also for similar projects worldwide.
