Re-Gen Open House Takes Neighbors Behind the Scenes

About 100 people stopped by the Arlington Re-Gen Open House at the Water Pollution Control Plant on Saturday, October 18, to learn more about the Re-Gen project and what to expect during construction. The event gave neighbors a chance to talk with Plant staff and see how the facility supports Arlington’s sustainability goals.

Guided facility tours were popular, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how the plant operates and how upcoming improvements will modernize critical infrastructure. The event also featured plenty of family-friendly activities that kept audiences of all ages engaged — from planting kale in biosolids-soil blend and exploring construction vehicles at the “touch-a-truck” station, to spinning a wheel for wastewater treatment facts, answering trivia questions, and playing bingo by completing different booth activities.

Several County partners joined the fun, including teams from Water, Sewer and Streets, Community Planning, Housing and Development, the Climate Policy Office, and Solid Waste. Each hosted a booth to share information about current initiatives and programs.

The open house was designed to welcome the community into the plant before the Re-Gen Early Work Package construction begins in December 2025, giving residents a chance to see current operations and learn what’s to come. The Early Work Package will prepare the site for major upgrades that will reduce truck traffic, eliminate lime deliveries, improve odor control, and produce Class A biosolids and renewable biogas. By opening the doors before work starts, the County helped connect the community to the purpose and benefits of the Re-Gen program.

As construction gets underway, the Water Pollution Control Plant team will continue keeping the community engaged through events and regular project updates on this website and through other communications channels. Construction is expected to continue through 2031.