Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park: The Northeast Boundary Protection Program

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Historical flooding

The Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park neighborhoods were developed at the turn of the last century when sewage systems were in their infancy. Combined sewer systems were the convention. But combining three factors — population growth, the city lines extending north of Boundary Road and the unique low-lying topography— the sewer system is simply too small to accommodate the area today.

Generally, in extreme rainstorms, combined runoff and sewage spills into local waterways rather than backing up onto streets and in homes. But in these low-lying neighborhoods, flooding and basement back-ups occur during the most intense rain storms. Ultimately, the Clean Rivers Project tunnels will solve the problem by storing the combined sewage and then slowly releasing it into the sewer system. But that project completion is still a decade away, and residents needed relief sooner.

Mayor's Task Force identifies solutions

The Mayor's Task Force on the Prevention of Flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park was formed in September 2013. The group worked quickly and submitted a final report in December which included 25 recommendations to mitigate flooding in these neighborhoods. These include short-, medium- and long-term solutions in the following categories:

Engineering Components
Regulatory Components
Code Revision Components
Operation and Maintenance Components

See all 25 recommendations here.

Short term

District agencies are coordinating on several programs providing home engineering consultations and flood proofing; rebates for backwater valves to prevent sewage from backing up into basements; and a rain barrel and green infrastructure program to absorb rainwater before it gets into the stormwater and sewer systems.

Medium term

DC Water is implementing two significant engineering projects in the medium term. The first will transform two cells of the abandoned sand filtration facilities at McMillan Reservoir to capture six million gallons of stormwater before it can enter the combined sewer system. These are underground, concrete storage facilities that were once used to filter drinking water. Now the sand will be removed and the cells converted to storage tanks to hold the stormwater during intense rains. When the rains subside, and there is enough space in the pipes, this stormwater will be fed back into the District's sewer system and be conveyed to Blue Plains to be treated.

The second installation will serve the same purpose and store an additional six million gallons of stormwater. This is a 19'-diameter tunnel to be built under First Street, NW, running from Rhode Island and First Street, to the southwest corner of the McMillan site. When construction is complete in 2016, this tunnel (called the First Street Tunnel) will hold stormwater during intense rainstorms, after which a temporary pumping station will deliver the stormwater up into the sewer system to be treated at Blue Plains.

Long term

DC Water began construction on the massive $2.6 billion Clean Rivers Project in 2011 to build large storage tunnels from Blue Plains all the way up to the Northeast Boundary district. The Authority is changing the alignment of the system to provide better drainage for the affected area. DC Water has also accelerated project plans to reach this area sooner than originally scheduled, so that in 2022 the tunnel system to the south will meet up and tie into the First Street tunnel. At that time the lift station can be removed as drainage will be achieved through gravity. For more information on the Clean Rivers Project click here: http://www.dcwater.com/cleanrivers

View Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park in a larger map

This map represents the general boundaries of DC Water's focus on flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park. Not all properties within the boundaries are subject to flooding, and some flood-prone properties may lie outside of the map. Please contact us if your Bloomingdale or LeDroit Park property has had a sewer backup or flooding and is outside of the boundaries.

Short-Term Mitigation

Medium-Term Mitigation

Long-Term Mitigation

Clean Rivers Project
- Northeast Boundary and Branch Tunnels

Community updates

On Tuesday, May 7, 2013 DC Water held a meeting with residents in the 2200 block of Flagler Place, N.W. to further discuss impacts of the First Street Tunnel project. Due to inclement weather, the meeting was moved to the Bryant Street Pumping Station. DC Water will be visiting the 2200 block of Flagler Place, N.W. to meet with residents who were unable to attend the initial meeting, followed by site meetings with residents in neighboring blocks over the coming weeks, and details on these meetings will be forthcoming. To view the presentation given at the meeting, please click here For a list of "Frequently Asked Questions," also provided during the meeting, please click here
On April 24, 2013, DC Water held a public meeting to share updates on the First Street Tunnel portion of the Clean Rivers Project and to receive public comments on the Environmental Assessment phase of the work. To view a copy of the Environmental Assessment, please click here To provide comments on the Environmental Assessment, please click here To view the boards presented during the meeting, check here
DC Water attended the January 28, 2013 monthly meeting of the Bloomingdale Civic Association to discuss the final report of the Mayor's Task Force on the Prevention of Flooding in Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park and its recommendations. To view a copy of the presentation, click here.
December 6, 2012
November 30, 2012
DC Water provided a briefing on the Northeast Boundary portion of the Clean Rivers Project to Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie on November 28, 2013. A similar briefing was provided during the Special Joint Meeting of the Bloomingdale Civic Association and ANC Single-Member Districts 5C04 and 5C07 on December 13. To view a copy of the presentation, click here.
October 5, 2012
September 18, 2012
September 4, 2012
August 24, 2012
August 10, 2012

How to reach us

If you have a water or sewer emergency, including a backup or flood to report, please call (202) 612-3400 at anytime.

For general questions about flooding in Bloomingdale or LeDroit Park, please call (202) 787-2688 or email bloomingdale@dcwater.com.

District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority

What We Do