District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority

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The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was originally passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply. The law was amended in 1986 and 1996 and requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources: rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and ground water wells.

SDWA authorizes the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to set national health-based standards for drinking water to protect against both naturally-occurring and man-made contaminants that may be found in drinking water. US EPA, states, and water systems then work together to make sure that these standards are met.

Small Valve Replacements Contract 5

This project entails the replacement of defective small (less than or equal to 12-inch diameter) valves at forty locations in the water distribution system throughout the District of Columbia. During regular operations, a number of small valves were found to be defective and inoperable, and in need of replacement. Upon completion, the distribution system will be more reliable by restoring inoperable valves to functionality, which will allow DC Water to isolate smaller sections of the system to make planned or emergency repairs. These improvements will help to protect drinking water quality by allowing smaller sections of the system to be isolated and by lowering the potential for water quality problems caused by system breaks.

Large Valve Replacements Contract 8

This project entails the replacement of twenty-five large (greater than or equal to 16-inch diameter) valves in the water distribution system throughout the District of Columbia. The distribution system contains approximately 40,000 valves, which serve two primary functions:

• maintenance of operating pressures in the system
• and the ability to bypass and isolate sections of the system for maintenance and repairs.

During regular operations, a number of large valves were found to be defective and inoperable, and in need of replacement. The completion of this project will improve the reliability of the system by having currently inoperable valves restored to functionality, which will provide DC Water with the ability to isolate smaller sections of the distribution system should planned or emergency repairs be required. This will help to protect drinking water quality by allowing smaller sections of the system to be isolated and lower the potential for water quality problems from system breaks.

Small Diameter Water Main Rehabilitation Contracts

These projects include the rehabilitation of small diameter (12-inch and smaller) water mains in the water distribution system at various locations throughout the District of Columbia. The objective is to replace pipe when the condition warrants, or to clean and line unlined cast iron pipe provided the pipe is in sound condition. The projects include the replacement of appurtenances, such as valves, fire hydrants and house service lines. These projects are part of an overall program to gradually rehabilitate / replace pipe that has exceeded the useful service life, improve available fire flows, and remove corrosion by-products from the inside of the pipe improving water quality and reducing the potential for creation of biofilms and bacteriological activity that can impair the quality of potable water.

Rock Creek Water Main Replacement for CSO 031, 037, 053, and 058

This project includes the replacement of all 12-inch and smaller diameter water mains in the same proposed project locations as the Rock Creek Sewer Separation project. The project includes the replacement of approximately 10,400 feet of water mains and associated valves, fire hydrants and public space lead and galvanized services. The project is located in three neighborhoods with existing water mains that have exceeded the useful service life of the original water mains — CSO 058 (Woodley Park neighborhood), CSO 053 (Q Street, NW between the Dumbarton Bridge and 27th Street, NW) and CSO 037 (the Kalorama Circle neighborhood). This project will restore the water mains to a useful service life and improve fire flow for these neighborhoods.

Fort Stanton Site Work and Joint Seals

The Fort Stanton Reservoir Nos. 1 & 2 are located in National Park Service property in Fort Stanton Park in southeast Washington, DC on the east side of the Anacostia River. Entry to the site is via a paved access road on the north side of the intersection of Erie Street, SE and Fort Place, SE. A chain link fence, eight feet high with barbed wire, is located around the perimeter of the site with a locked gate. The Fort Stanton Reservoir Nos. 1 & 2 are underground reinforced concrete structures for potable water storage, which have a combined capacity of approximately 13 million gallons (MG).

In 2008, an embankment failure occurred in the vicinity of Fort Stanton Reservoir No. 2. Some of the drainage in the area has been disrupted / disturbed, and the 30-inch water main in the area has been exposed. The reservoir was tested and found to have slow seepage, which may have contributed to the embankment failure. The joints in the concrete floor of the reservoir are in need of replacement.

The proposed project includes:

• improvements to the existing drainage piping;
• installation of new subsoil drainage piping;
• replacement of manholes and fencing;
• slope stabilization;
• and landscaping at the Fort Stanton Reservoirs site in the District of Columbia.

Also, this construction contract will include the replacement of unsound joints in the concrete floor of Fort Stanton Reservoir No. 2 and installation of a thrust block on a 30-inch water main at the site.