Friend of the forest, The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has issued a draft pollution discharge permit for the Arlington County Water Pollution Control Plant. If approved, this permit would allow this sewage treatment plant to release toxic PFAS chemicals into local waterways, including Four Mile Run, the Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Why Wild Virginia Opposes this Draft Discharge Permit for the Arlington County Water Pollution Control Plant DEQ has failed to assess the threats from PFAS pollution as required by law, despite known discharges of PFAS to state waters from the plant and presence of these dangerous chemicals in the wastewater and sludge at the plant. To prevent PFAS pollution and threats to people and wildlife caused by "forever chemicals" in the wastewater system and discharge, DEQ must reject the permit as currently written. Specifically, DEQ must amend the permit to include requirements for monitoring and controlling PFAS discharges. Why This Matters to You and Your Family PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down naturally, and instead accumulate in our bodies over time. Even tiny amounts can cause serious health problems, including fertility issues and pregnancy complications, weakened immune system and hormone disruption, hyperthyroidism, obesity, and certain cancers. Our local wildlife face the same dangers. Scientific studies show PFAS harm fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds, causing reproductive issues, liver damage, and weakened immune systems.These chemicals biomagnify up the food chain, putting communities that rely on fishing at even greater risk. Anyone Can Comment! Even if you're located somewhere in Virginia that is far away from these areas and the streams most directly affected you can still comment. The impacts of PFAS from these sites will not be limited to those local streams but threaten the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay and everybody has an interest in seeing those protected. Also, the outcomes on these permits are precedents for other permits that will come up in your area, no matter where you are. So far, DEQ outright refuses to do what it should on these permits and it's in everybody's interest to see that that changes. Finally, this facility sends PFAS-laden sludge to farm fields across the Commonwealth. Comment today to stop toxic sludge from coming to your community. Speak Up! You Can Help Us Stop This Harmful Permit! Use this comment template to write DEQ and tell them to protect us from PFAS pollution. Be sure to request a public hearing. Send emails to Celeste DuFour at NRO.VPDESPermits@deq.virginia.gov by October 23, 2025. Reference VPDES permit no. VA0025143.
Together we can protect the health of our community, our drinking water, and local wildlife and ecosystems. We cannot allow DEQ to give Arlington County a free pass to dump toxic chemicals into our waterways. | 
