The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA) is participating in Earth Week activities throughout the District, educating the public on water conservation and cleaning up water ways.

“Every day, we work at the original green jobs,” said DC WASA General Manager George S. Hawkins. “We provide fresh water at the tap and we put water back into the Potomac River that is cleaner than the river itself. During Earth Week and all year, we are committed to educating others about the importance of protecting the environment. That’s why we show our customers ways to conserve water and save money.”

DC WASA’s water conservation team will display at the United States Department of Energy, the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Labor. The team brings a fully operational bathroom display to demonstrate water and cost savings from water-efficient fixtures and appliances, including low-flow aerators and showerheads.

In conjunction with the Anacostia Watershed Society’s Earth Day celebration, DC WASA’s skimmer boat fleet removes extra floatable debris. The skimmer boat fleet operates five days a week on the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers, picking up more than 400 tons of debris a year.

DC WASA also sponsors the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s (AFF) Trash-Free Potomac Initiative. One of the most visible projects is the Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, now the largest regional event of its kind. This cleanup has engaged more than 50,000 volunteers and over 375 partner organizations since its inception and this year was held April 10.

Earth Day, in its 40th year, is celebrated throughout the world. Though the official U.S. date is April 22, activities generally take place on the weekends before and after the 22nd. The United Nations observes Earth Day on the spring solstice, March 20.

DC WASA Conservation Display

• Wednesday, April 14, 2010; 10:30 to 2:00 p.m.; Department of Health and Human Services, Herbert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW

• Monday, April 19, 2010; 10:00 to 2:00 p.m.; U.S. Department of Energy, DOE Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW

• Thursday, April 22, 2010; 10:00 to 3:00 p.m.; U.S. Department of Labor, Frances Perkins Bldg, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW

Earth Day Clean ups (DC WASA skimmer boat):
• Anacostia Watershed Society; April 24, 2010

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About The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA), is an industry leading multi-jurisdictional regional utility that provides drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment to more than 500,000 residential, commercial and governmental customers in the District of Columbia, 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 WASA’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 has a peak capacity of 1.076 billion gallons per day.

About the Alice Ferguson Foundation Trash Free Potomac Initiative
The Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative (TFPWI), is a region-wide effort spearheaded by the Alice Ferguson Foundation to reduce trash and litter, increase recycling, education, and awareness of trash issues in the Potomac Watershed. The primary goal of TFPWI is to have a “Trash Free Potomac by 2013.” The goals of TFPWI are being addressed through the Potomac River Watershed Trash Treaty, Annual Potomac River Watershed Trash Summit, Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, and Regional Public Education & Awareness Campaigns.

For more information on these programs or to volunteer, visit WWW.PotomacCleanup.org or call 202.518.7417.

About The Anacostia Watershed Society
The Anacostia Watershed Society is dedicated to cleaning the waters, recovering the shoreline, and honoring the heritage of the Anacostia River and its tributary creeks and streams in Washington, D.C., and Maryland.