DC Water Street Work, Now and Future

Inquiring minds want to know: What’s with all the street work, and when will it end? DC Water has been busy replacing 12-inch and smaller cast-iron water mains, lead and other service lines and fire hydrants and valves throughout D.C.’s streets. Several of these projects are in Georgetown.

According to public documents sent to The Georgetowner from DC Water, street work on R Street and 30th Street (2,250 feet of 8” water mains) has been completed, but sidewalk and tree restoration projects remain. Work on Prospect Street between 35th and 37th Streets (1,325 feet of 8” water mains) is expected to be finished by early May. Construction on 35th Street and Whitehaven Parkway (2,207 feet of 8” water mains) should be done by June 2016.

Most of this work will be done through manholes and timed to minimize disturbances to residents and business, according to a DC Water spokesperson. Residents and businesses may have their doubts.

But that was the easy part. Construction between 33rd and 34th Streets, predominantly along O Street, will be more complex. Installing 56” and 96” sewers, as well as horseshoe-shaped sections up to 110” x 92”, will require excavation. Work in this area is estimated to begin in July and end by October 2017.

These water-main replacement projects are in addition to the combined sewer rehabilitation projects that are part of the DC Clean Rivers Project, scheduled to begin in mid-2017. Along with the proposed Potomac River Tunnel, the DC Clean Rivers Project includes Green Infrastructure components, such as permeable pavements (porous asphalt, permeable concrete, permeable pavers), rooftop collection of stormwater (rain barrels, cisterns, living “green roofs”) and bioretention methods of reducing runoff (tree boxes, rain gardens, vegetated filter strips).

At a recent meeting, community groups questioned the suitability of some of these proposals for Georgetown. As a result, DC Water has offered to test their effectiveness in western Georgetown and Burleith prior to implementing a final plan. We urge DC Water and local civic associations to balance the character of historic Georgetown with the upgrades necessary to meet our environmental obligations. Given the effort that went into the creation of the Georgetown Waterfront Park — five years in the making and something like 35 going back to the initial lobbying — disruption to this precious amenity in particular should be avoided.