LFDC FY26 Program Metrics

Featured Testimonials

• "I need to comment again on how kind and hard working the crew has been.  I feel badly that they have had to do so much extra work on this property! I hope they are rewarded for their determination and extra work." 
  - Homeowner in Eastern Market
   
• "The contractor finished replacement today... Their people and D.C. Water’s couldn’t have been more efficient, informative, cooperative, pleasant, and helpful. Our small front yard and landscaping are intact, and our water, lead free.  Thanks." 
  - Homeowner in 16th Street Heights
   

Featured Team Member

John Ingle

John Ingle is a construction manager with the Lead Free Group Joint-Venture, and a key individual in Washington D.C.’s ambitious Lead Free DC (LFDC) Project. Mr. Ingle spearheaded the project management transition of four Small Diameter Water Main Replacement (SDWMR) projects to the LFDC program, including all aspects of construction, inspection, reporting and staffing. He currently manages construction across all By-Block and SDWMR contracts totaling more than $300M in active construction and is responsible for the schedule, execution, budget, change management, quality control, contract compliance, client and customer communications and contractor negotiations.

Program Strategies to Reduce Costs

Master Services Agreement

LFDC has initiated a construction materials pre-purchase program in which DC Water purchases construction materials directly from a supplier and furnishes them to the construction contractor. By purchasing materials directly from a supplier, DC Water can realize cost savings by avoiding the contractor’s procurement mark up. A comparison of material costs for bids from the most recent round of construction contracts for the Block-by-Block Program showed by purchasing the materials directly, DC Water is seeing about a 10% reduction in the cost for the construction contract.

Pave DC Program Participation

DC Water is in collaboration with DDOT’s Pave DC Program to find alignment in paving plans and DC Water construction projects to generate an overall cost savings in post construction paving. This collaboration has resulted in approximately $400k in savings to the LFDC Program to date from 2024.

Block by Block Program Scaling

DC Water has increased the size of Block-by-Block construction projects to create efficiencies of scale in construction and program management costs. Data to date indicates there has been a 15% reduction in the average cost per service line replacement on the Block-by-Block program when compared to earlier, smaller construction contracts. e/p>

Program Strategies to Expedite Lead Removal

Pilot Program for Testing Pipe Material

DC Water is evaluating alternative material identification technologies and processes. This includes inspection technologies and machine learning models, to determine if there are viable, more cost-effective alternatives to using test pit excavation to verify service line materials and identify unknowns. These inspection technologies also have the added benefit of less disruption to the homeowner during the investigation.

Partner Agency Agreements

DC Water and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) have entered a Memorandum of Understanding that will streamline the permitting process and will likely reduce the cost of developing permit documents and speed the final inspection and closeout process.

Program Strategies that Comply with EPA Requirements

Service Line Records

To meet EPA requirements and develop a complete and accurate service line inventory, LFDC is routinely and regularly updating DC Water’s Service Line Materials Inventory with data from field investigations.