Heavy Rain is Key Factor in Determining If/When Controlled Emergency Sewage Overflow Could Occur at WSSC Water’s Anacostia Wastewater Pumping Station in Capitol Heights 

Controlled Emergency Sewage Overflow at Pumping Station Would Protect Homes/Residents in Northeast, D.C. Neighborhood From Sewage Overflow Following Collapsed 108-Inch Diameter Anacostia Sewer Force Main Located in the District

On Sunday, July 20, the District’s 108-Inch Diameter Anacostia Sewer Force Main Carrying Flows from WSSC Water’s Anacostia Wastewater Pumping Station Collapsed in
Northeast, D.C. Neighborhood

Repairs to Pipe Are Complicated, Expected to Take Weeks, Must be Performed While Sewage Flows Through Pipe

If/When Controlled Emergency Sewage Overflow Occurs, Sewage will Enter Beaverdam Creek, Which Flows into Anacostia River – Signs Will Be Posted Urging Residents to Avoid These Waterways for up to 30 Days

WSSC Water’s and the District’s Drinking Water Systems Not Impacted 

Contacts:   
For Pipe Collapse/Repair Questions:
Sherri Lewis, DC Water
Sherri.Lewis@dcwater.com
202-787-2209

For Controlled Emergency Overflow Questions:
Lyn Riggins, WSSC Water
Lyn.Riggins@wsscwater.com
301-206-4002

Due to dry conditions, WSSC Water and DC Water announced today that a possible controlled emergency sewage overflow into Beaverdam Creek and the Anacostia River is not imminent. Weather is a key factor in determining if/when a controlled emergency sewage overflow at WSSC Water’s Anacostia Wastewater Pumping Station (WWPS) in Capitol Heights would be necessary. If the overflow occurs, it would be done as a last resort to avoid sewage overflowing from the District’s collapsed Anacostia Sewer Force Main – thereby protecting homes and residents in a Northeast D.C. neighborhood.

WSSC Water is carefully monitoring the weather. Currently, there is no rain in the forecast until Thursday. Rain increases wastewater flows.

WSSC Water’s Anacostia WWPS pumps approximately 60-65 million gallons of sewage per day into the District of Columbia’s 108-inch diameter Anacostia Sewer Force Main, which collapsed Sunday, July 20, in Northeast Washington, D.C. in the area of Anacostia Avenue Northeast and Ponds Street, near the entrance to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Following the collapse, DC Water made public notification of untreated wastewater overflowing in that area.

DC Water is working to repair the sewer main, however it is a complicated repair that could take weeks. DC Water has installed retaining walls to contain wastewater flow during dry weather, which is estimated to contain up to 120 MGD of wastewater flow. These measures should minimize the probability of a controlled sewer overflow being necessary.

However, heavy rain will increase flow at the Anacostia WWPS, sending substantially more sewage into the Anacostia Sewer Force Main located in the District. To avoid an overflow of sewage into streets and residential areas in Northeast, D.C., the decision was made to potentially allow a controlled emergency overflow at the WWPS into Beaverdam Creek/Anacostia River, thereby protecting homes and residents in D.C. WSSC Water also has the ability to store approximately 7 million gallons of wastewater at the Anacostia WWPS. That storage will be utilized before allowing a controlled emergency overflow.

If the controlled emergency overflow occurs, untreated sewage will enter Beaverdam Creek, which flows into the Anacostia River in Capitol Heights, right on the Maryland/Washington, D.C. border. Signs will be posted along these waterways warning residents to avoid contact for up to 30 days if the overflow occurs.

WSSC Water’s and the District’s drinking water systems are not impacted by the overflow.

Why the Controlled Emergency Overflow Could Be Necessary: Protecting Homes/Residents in Northeast D.C.

WSSC Water has communicated with Maryland Department of the Environment, D.C. Department of Energy and Environment and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

If/when there is a need to purposefully overflow at the WWPS, the overflow would also help protect the containment area DC Water installed at the repair site.

It is important to note, an overflow would NOT affect drinking water provided by WSSC Water or the District’s drinking water system. The drinking water intakes for both WSSC Water and the District are located on the Potomac River, which is not near this site.

WSSC Water’s Anacostia WWPS pumps wastewater from approximately 113,000 WSSC Water customer accounts (homes and businesses) in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, including Colesville, Beltsville, College Park, Greenbelt, New Carrollton, Hyattsville, Bladensburg, Langley Park as well as portions of Laurel, Landover, Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Wheaton, Aspen Hill, Burtonsville and Olney. When people in these areas use water, wastewater is sent to the WWPS and into the 108-inch diameter Anacostia Sewer Force Main, located in the District and transported for treatment at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. Rain can significantly increase wastewater flows. Overflowing at the Anacostia WWPS serves as a last resort to stop or significantly reduce wastewater overflows in Northeast D.C. while DC Water repairs the collapsed 108-inch diameter Anacostia Sewer Force Main.

Appropriate notifications have been made to Maryland Department of the Environment, D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, Prince George’s County Health Department, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.