District consumers are being advised of a brief water quality problem by DC WASAs water supplier, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Washington Aqueduct Division. The news release and notice below describe an occurrence at the Washington Aqueduct’s McMillan Treatment Plant on December 22, 2008 in which turbidity, a measure of water clarity, exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limit for a period of 14 minutes. The problem was corrected immediately, and it did not require an emergency public notification.

Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water due to particles suspended in it. Since increased turbidity can interfere with the water treatment process, the EPA requires the Washington Aqueduct to notify its customers if the level exceeds the regulatory limit.

The Washington Aqueduct notified DC WASA and its other wholesale water customers in Falls Church and Arlington County with the attached notice, dated December 30, 2008. DC WASA in turn, is notifying its customers and the general public, as required by EPA under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

DC WASA is committed to delivering the highest quality drinking water and to communicating openly with the public. Should consumers have further questions about this occurrence, they should contact the Washington Aqueduct at (202) 764-0031. For other water quality questions, DC WASA’s Water Quality Division can be reached at (202) 612-3440.