DC Water will soon be conducting a number of field investigation activities on Beach Drive, NW in support of its Rock Creek Main Interceptor and Beach Drive Sewer Rehabilitation Project.

Beginning Monday, February 8, 2016, weather permitting, crews will be working on Beach Drive between the Maryland border and Broad Branch Road, NW. Specifically, they will be conducting a subsurface exploration which includes ground penetration survey and soil and rock sampling. Ground penetration survey will use a radar to identify locations of underground utilities. Soil and rock sampling will be performed using a drill rig to obtain soil and rock samples from 20 to 30 feet below ground. These investigations will be conducted in portions of the roadway and in parking lot areas, near the existing sewers. These activities will be a part of ongoing testing of local soil conditions in preparation for construction of the project.

A total of 5 business days will be needed to complete the work. Normal work hours will be from 9:30am until 2:45pm, Monday through Friday. While the current schedule shows a start date of Monday, February 8, 2016 and completion date of Friday, February 12, 2016, investigations could be extended beyond next week in the case of inclement weather.

Due to the large size of the equipment and nature of the work, portions of Beach Drive and immediate surrounding areas will need to be closed during work hours.

Important Information:
Portions of Beach Drive, NW between the Maryland border and Broad Branch Road, NW will be closed during work hours. These closures on Beach Drive and immediate surrounding areas will be implemented in the following phases:
*Beach Drive between the Maryland border and West Beach Drive, NW will be closed on Monday, February 8 and Tuesday, February 9.
*Sherrill Drive, NW between 16th Street, NW and Beach Drive will be closed on Wednesday, February 10.
*Picnic Grove 6 will also be closed to the public on Wednesday, February 10.
*Beach Drive between Joyce Road, NW and Broad Branch Road will be closed on Thursday, February 11 and Friday, February 12.

Detour traffic signs, traffic control and protective barriers will be set up to maintain public safety and alert motorists of the upcoming road closures and traffic changes.

Some traffic stops and delays within the vicinity of the work zones are anticipated.

There will be no activities performed on weekends or public holidays.

To keep everyone safe, motorists should stay alert and obey the posted speed limits and signage when traveling through this area. DC Water is working closely with National Park Service and the District Department of Transportation to ensure minimal disruption during this work.

Project Details
DC Water implemented the Sewer Life Restoration Program (SLRP) to monitor, inspect, maintain, repair, and replace defective infrastructure within the District’s wastewater collection system. The goal of this program is to add 50 years to the service life of sewers by rehabilitating the mainline pipes, manholes, and lateral connections as necessary.

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About DC Water
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water), is an industry leading multi-jurisdictional regional utility that provides drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment to 600,000 residential, commercial and governmental customers in the District of Columbia, 17.8 million annual visitors and also collects and treats wastewater for 1.6 million customers in Montgomery and Prince Georges counties in Maryland and Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia.

DC Water’s service area covers approximately 725 square miles and the company operates the world’s largest advanced wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 370 million gallons per day and a peak capacity of 1.076 billion gallons per day.