During secondary filtration, air bubbles are blown up through the water to help bacteria turn toxic ammonia into nitrates.
During secondary filtration, air bubbles are blown up through the water to help bacteria turn toxic ammonia into nitrates. Credit: By Darrow Montgomery

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Pondering the unlikely beauty of D.C.’s wastewater treatment plant.

  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Pity the poor rube who falls into the nitrification tanks!
    Pity the poor rube who falls into the nitrification tanks! Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Put the biosolids on Solids Road.
    Put the biosolids on Solids Road. Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Bacteria hard at work making nitrogen out of nitrates.
    Bacteria hard at work making nitrogen out of nitrates. Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Aeration pumps run on more than 4,000 volts and 2,000 horsepower each.
    Aeration pumps run on more than 4,000 volts and 2,000 horsepower each. Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery
  • Credit: By Darrow Montgomery