The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA) invites District residents, employees and visitors to join in on the 2010 National Drinking Water Week celebration, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“In the United States, people don’t often stop to think about what it takes to deliver clean, safe tap water,” said DC WASA General Manager George S. Hawkins. “They just know when they turn on the tap, it’s there. National Drinking Water Week is an opportunity to educate our communities about the source of their drinking water, and how it is treated and distributed. It’s also a time to recognize the professionals who ensure the water quality, distribution and safety.”

DC WASA and the US Army Corps of Engineers Washington Aqueduct will give out drinking water information and resources in across the District during the week. DC WASA will also post additional daily drinking water tips on www.dcwasa.com and participate in a children’s festival.
On Monday and Thursday, DC WASA customers can ask questions and receive drinking water information, visit the water quality mobile lab, and meet “Wendy the Water Drop.”

The Authority will join in the WSSC Children’s Water Festival Wednesday, May 5 at WSSCs Brighton Dam Visitors Center. The outdoor celebration provides approximately 400 fourth-grade students (per day) with hands-on learning about water issues, the environment, and the impact our day-to-day habits have on the availability and quality of water.

DC WASA Community Outreach Events for Week of May 3-9

• Tuesday, May 4, 2010: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (open to public)
National Drinking Water Week Celebration
(including Spanish-speaking water technicians)
Columbia Heights Metrorail Station
3115 14th Street Northwest, Washington, DC

• Wednesday, May 5, 2010: 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (schools selected by lottery)
WSSC Children’s Water Festival
WSSC’s Brighton Dam Visitors Center, 2 Brighton Dam Road, Brookeville, Maryland

• Thursday, May 6, 2010: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (open to public)
National Drinking Water Week Celebration
Eastern Market Metrorail Station

• Thursday, May 6, 2010: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (open to public)
DC WASA Town Hall Meeting with Councilmember Mary Cheh
St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, 4201 Albemarle Street, NW

For more information, please call the DC WASA Office of Public Affairs at 202-787-2200.

More information on District drinking water can be found at: http://www.dcwasa.com/waterquality/

More information on National Drinking Water Week can be found at::
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/

• American Water Works Association: http://www.awwa.org/Government/content.cfm?ItemNumber=44766&navItemNumb…
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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.