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DC Water Protects the Environment on Earth Day…and Every Day

April 22, 2013

Today is Earth Day and hundreds of millions are celebrating. DC Water joins the celebration, today and every day.

“Each day DC Water is working to protect the health of our waterways and the people who live in the region,” said DC Water General Manager George S. Hawkins. “DC Water provides safe drinking water, collects the water after millions of people use it, and cleanses it before returning it to the environment, while also reclaiming the nutrients for beneficial reuse.”

In addition to these daily critical services, DC Water is investing in state-of-the-art technology on the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. Three massive environmental projects, at a cost of more than $4 billion, are underway, to:
• significantly reduce combined sewer overflows,
• further reduce nitrogen in the water discharged back to the Potomac River, and return the nutrients back to the land, and
• create energy from the wastewater process using anaerobic digestion.

DC Water educates the public on conservation and environmental protection throughout the year with school programs, tap water outreach, and special events. During the month of April, DC Water is sharing information about water conservation at several venues. This week DC Water will be at the following locations:

U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Wednesday, April 24
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Thursday, April 25
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

In addition, DC Water participated in the Anacostia Watershed Society’s Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling’s “Earth Day, Fun Day” and a river clean-up event hosted by the Alice Ferguson Foundation, providing volunteers and skimmer boats to clean the waterways.

For more information about DC Water’s outreach activities, please contact Emanuel Briggs, Manager, Public Outreach at 202-787-2003 or Emanuel.Briggs@dcwater.com.

Latest News

Placeholder DC Water Image

DC Water has completed sludge removal on a section of the C & O Canal between locks 13 and 14, which was used as a bypass to divert wastewater around the collapsed section of the Potomac Interceptor and back into the pipe further downstream. Crews are now constructing an access bridge to this section of the canal to allow soil removal to begin.

Overhead Photo of Potomac Interceptor

Comprehensive Survey to Guide Rehabilitation and Address Changing Site Conditions

Starting later this week, DC Water will conduct an aerial drone assessment along the 54-mile Potomac Interceptor (PI) to evaluate current site conditions and better understand the changing landscape and development along the Potomac Interceptor alignment, including areas where there may be rocks or boulders that need further on the ground inspections.

Photo of someone using the tap water with the dates of the annual water line cleaning March 23 - May 4

Spring cleaning isn’t just for closets and cabinets. DC Water’s system gets a refresh too!

Starting March 23, DC Water will begin work that helps maintain more than 1,300 miles of water lines across the District. During this time, the disinfectant used in drinking water will temporarily switch from chloramine to chlorine through May 4. This switch helps support overall water quality throughout the year.

Upcoming Meeting

Board of Directors Meeting

April 24, 2023

Monday 9:00 AM

Announcement

Picture of new bike pedestrian path and traffic detour
New Path for Capital Crescent Trail Opens at Georgetown Waterfront Park

DC CLEAN RIVERS – POTOMAC RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT
If you bike, drive, or walk through Georgetown, we’ve got changes starting this week around the Potomac River Tunnel construction on Water Street NW. The Capital Crescent Trail has a new temporary detour through Georgetown Waterfront Park, open now for cyclists between 33rd and Potomac streets NW.

Latest Blog Post
A helicopter lowers a drill rig to workers on the Potomac River.
DC Water begins drilling in Potomac River to explore options to rehab underwater sewer line
When one of your major sewer lines runs through the Potomac River, a backhoe and trencher won't do. That's why we've got helicopters carrying a 14-ton drill and workers suspended midair over the Potomac.
Upcoming Meeting

Upcoming Events

Customer Service Center Announcement

Payment Plan Incentive: provides a credit back of 50% of the last 3 payments made. Eligible participants are residential customers who have had an outstanding balance for 60 days or greater and with an outstanding balance of $500 or more.