A DC Water news release (2018-10-25) announced that the District of Columbia is proposing a new project that could have significant water quality benefits for the Potomac River. The project is a deep sewer tunnel that would capture sewer overflows and transport the contaminated water to the Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment. The news release noted that the environment assessment (EA) on the project is open from public comment through November 30, 2018.
From the news release:
This project is designed to reduce combined sewer overflows to the Potomac River as part of the $2.7 billion DC Clean Rivers Project. …
DC Water is proposing to construct the Potomac River Tunnel in the District primarily on National Park Service (NPS) land within Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Rock Creek Park and National Mall and Memorial Parks. The EA is a required milestone before DC Water can finalize plans for how and where it will construct the associated infrastructure.
The project consists of a large-diameter deep sewer tunnel, diversion facilities, drop shafts and support structures to capture flows from existing combined sewer overflows along the Potomac River and transport them to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plan for treatment. The EA evaluates impacts based on a range of options for each facility proposed for construction, with a preferred option presented for each structure.
The news release also included instructions on how to comment on the EA and attend a public meeting on the project on November 14.
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