OVERVIEW

DC Water’s Valve and Hydrant Assessment Program is a systemwide effort to check every valve and hydrant in the District to ensure they are in working order, and if not fix any broken valves or hydrants. Why is that important? Valves are like the traffic signals for water—they let us start, stop, and direct the flow so your water stays reliable and safe. It’s what keeps your water flowing smoothly, even when there's a pipe repair down the street or a fire hydrant in use nearby.

Across the District, there are about 1,400 miles of water lines, over 40,000 isolation valves, more than 6,000 control valves (both manual and automatic) and 9,800 fire hydrants—some of which have been in service for over 150 years. The age and unknown condition of our valves and hydrants can create challenges for routine operations like repairing a broken main and emergency responses.

As part of our Blueprint 2.0 initiative to strengthen system reliability and resilience, DC Water and its contractor will identify, inspect, and evaluate the working condition of every valve and hydrant systemwide over the next five years. By checking and repairing these values, we’re able to isolate any problems – like leaks or water main breaks – so they impact as few homes and businesses as possible. Every valve we assess and fix, means fewer disruptions for residents and visitors to the District. Our goal is simple: make sure you have clean, dependable water when you need it at your home, business, or in an emergency.

SCOPE OF WORK

• Locate, assess current condition and operability of all 48,000 valves and 9800 hydrants in the potable water system and document it.
• Meet and/or exceed the recommendations of American Water Works Association (AWWA) M44 for maintenance of valves and M17 for maintenance of hydrants on a five-year cycle.

SCHEDULE

• Estimated Cycle Assessment Start: May 2026
• Estimated Cycle Assessment Completion: May 2031
• Normal work hours: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday
  • Contractors may work at night or on weekends, dependent upon certain construction activities or inclement weather.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• DC Water will work to achieve minimal disruption during assessment operations.
• Noise and vibrations will be closely monitored throughout the project.
• Temporary traffic control such as cones and signs will be used.
• For any necessary temporary interruption of water services during assessment, customers who will be affected will be notified 48 hours in advance.
• Customers may experience temporary reduction in pressure during valve and hydrant operation.
• Customers may experience discolored water during valve and hydrant operations
• DC Water's Drinking Water Quality Frequently Asked Questions Can Be Found HERE!

PARTNER

DC Water is working to ensure minimal disruption during this project. Regular updates will be provided to impacted residents, Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, Representatives in the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services, Councilmembers, and members of their staff.