It hasn’t come in on horses, but there is a Paul Revere-like quality to the warnings from DC Water: “The digging is coming. The digging is coming.”
Representatives of the utility have been reaching out to Georgetown neighborhood groups to spread information about its Clean Rivers Project and Green Infrastructure Plan. At the basis of what is being described as a “massive” undertaking is a 2005 legal agreement between DC Water, the District of Columbia, U.S Department of Justice and EPA to implement a $2.6 billion Clean Rivers Project. In very simple terms, it has to do with reducing combined sewage and storm water overflows to the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers as well as Rock Creek by building of a system of tunnels, diversion sewers and green infrastructures.
Although the Rock Creek portion was modified to eliminate the need for a tunnel, the Anacostia tunnel construction is already underway and the Potomac phase of DC Water’s project will require an underground tunnel capable of holding 30 million gallons of combined storm water and sewage.
An early model of the Potomac tunnel set off major alarms, as it would have required digging up Georgetown Waterfront Park. But that section of the plan seems to have been scrubbed with the construction of permeable pavements to deal with storm water run-off that would seemingly have the most impact on Georgetown. Many streets on the east and west side of the town would have been affected. At this point, DC Water is conducting field surveys and taking soil samples before they finalize any plans for the project with the probable start being sometime in 2017.
The idea of any long-term construction project in Georgetown brings up nightmare scenarios of disruption to dig-weary residents and businesses (faced with noise, parking and traffic disruptions from what seems like an endless amount of projects). Ask the people around 27th and P Streets, already effected by DC Water’s work.
DC Water seems to be doing its best to try to add a spoonful of sugar to the unwelcome news. Besides its initial reaching out to the Georgetown Advisory Neighborhood Commission, Citizens Association of Georgetown, the Georgetown Business Improvement District and the Georgetown Business Association, the utility has arranged a tour in December for representatives from those groups and local media of DC Water’s First Street Tunnel and examples of some green infrastructures. It will also be conducting a community meeting in January to answer questions and hear any potential objections or input regarding the plan.
There was some tongue-in-cheek speculation, when the project was discussed at a local meeting, that while DC Water is already underground digging the Potomac tunnel perhaps it could also work on adding a Georgetown Metro stop. While it is assumed no one will be laughing when the “big dig” kicks in, we can only hope the lines of communication and cooperation will remain open and the many issues sure to come will be addressed.
