The State of the James River report gives the river’s health an overall score of 61 perent and a grade of B minus this year. This represents a 3-percent increase in the overall score since 2013. Achieving a B minus for the first time in decades shows that the Commonwealth’s investments in clean water are realizing results.
Much of the increase is due to the improvements in wastewater treatment and the resulting pollution reductions, where 80 percent of state and local clean water efforts have been targeted.
However, there are key factors that remain critically low and must be addressed in order to achieve a fully healthy James River.
Virginia has made significant investments in water quality over the last two decades resulting in major pollution reductions and improvements to local water quality.
According to the James River Association (JRA), there must be healthy waters and we must protect our quality lands for all citizens of the James watershed.
