2008 Annual Report - DC Water

Far left: The District’s water system can be
traced back to the early 1800s when water was
piped from natural city springs to the Capital and
to public hydrants using wooden and cast iron
pipes. Here, in a 1910 photo, a DC water main is
being tapped for house connections.
Near Left: New $33 million, fully automated
Anacostia Water Pumping Station features
significant technology and capacity
improvements.
DC WASA revises lead pipe removal program
In FY 2008, the Authority Board of Directors approved a
significant modification of the Lead Service Replacement
(LSR) program to encourage full (public and private portions)
service line replacements and to manage escalating costs.
The program change was made in consultation with
experts from the Centers for Disease Control, EPA, George
Washington University Center for Public Health, as well as
local health officials and the public.
The District’s water distribution system (water mains) is
virtually lead-free. However some older service lines in the
District are made from lead. (The service line is the pipe that
carries water from the main in the street to the home.) Some
homes in the District experienced elevated lead levels in tap
water samples from lead leaching from the service line. In
2004, DC WASA began an accelerated program to replace
all public lead service lines, and through the end of FY 2008,
nearly half of the estimated 35,000 public lead lines had been
replaced. Since 2005, following a change in water chemistry
and a significant reduction in lead levels, District drinking
water has met federal limits for lead and is in full compliance
with all U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act regulations.
Recent studies emphasize the importance of replacing
the entire (public and private portions) lead service line.
The modified LSR program encourages property owners
to replace the private portion of the pipe and defers $178
million in program costs through 2010. The modified program
continues lead service replacements during scheduled
water main work. Additionally, if the private side is replaced,
DC WASA will replace the public portion of the lead line
on request and in coordination with other transportation
department work in the area.
Report shows District of Columbia well
protected by public water system
An analysis and evaluation of areas of the city serviced
by smaller-diameter (8-, 6-, 4-inch) water mains was
undertaken to ensure the availability of sufficient water flows
from hydrants to fight fires. Small diameter mains make up
approximately 900 miles of the city’s 1,300-mile distribution
system. The report identified a one block, populated area that
did not meet the fire flow guidelines, and a new 12-inch water
main was expeditiously installed. Available water in the area
now exceeds the fire department criteria.
Hydrant Upgrade Program on target
DC WASA launched an aggressive $26.5 million Fire Hydrant
Upgrade Program in FY 2006 to replace nearly 3,000 public
hydrants (approximately 35 percent of the District hydrants)
over a five-year period. In the past two years alone, DC
WASA has replaced almost 2,400 hydrants, representing
almost 26 percent of the entire system. More than half of the
hydrants replaced were working hydrants that did not meet
the national design
standard. DC WASA
and DC Fire and
Emergency Medical
Services have formed
a partnership that
includes biannual
inspections using
state-of-the-art
technology and
equipment, as well as
an aggressive hydrant
repair and upgrade
program.
Above: The Water Quality Report is an
annual update to consumers on the source
and quality of the water DC WASA delivers.
dcwasa essential to Life. 18
2008 a n n u a l re p o r t