Section 10-A619. E-4.2 REDUCING WATER POLLUTION

 

619.1Like cities across the United States, the District of Columbia faces the challenge of combating the pollution of its rivers, streams, and groundwater. The problem dates to colonial days when the city disposed of sewage and agricultural waste in its rivers. While the days of open sewers and unregulated dumping are behind us, we are left with the most polluted tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. Swimming in our rivers is considered hazardous and fishing is ill-advised. 619.1

 

619.2Most of the pollutants entering Washington’s waters cannot be traced to specific points. Oil, gas, dust, pesticides, trash, animal waste, and other pollutants are carried to rivers and streams each time it rains. Vegetated and unpaved areas absorb some of these pollutants, while paved surfaces do not. Industrial uses like power plants and military bases also impact water quality. Toxins from these uses have contaminated the groundwater in certain areas and have settled into riverbeds, creating the danger that they will be rereleased if the sediment is disturbed. In addition, urban runoff carries high volumes of fast-moving water to local streams, scouring natural channels and stripping away the resources necessary to support local fish and wildlife. 619.2

 

619.3As noted in the Infrastructure Element, storm sewers serve the dual purpose of conveying sewage as well as rainwater in about one-third of the city. During major storms or snow melts, stormwater and sanitary sewage flows exceed the capacity of the conveyance system, causing raw sewage to be released into the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers, Rock Creek, and tributary streams. Billions of gallons of sewage may be dumped into the river during such events, lowering oxygen levels and damaging aquatic life. 619.3

 

619.4The federal Clean Water Act required the District to take steps to control stormwater pollution and eventually meet clean water standards. The Long-Term Control Plan for sanitary and storm sewer separation is one of these steps. Another is the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, which includes specific requirements for the two-thirds of the city where storm and sanitary sewers are already separated. The MS4 program, which is managed by the DC Water and Sewer Authority, covers the control of discharges from industrial and construction sites, monitoring of these discharges, enforcement activities for violators, and annual reporting and implementation. In 2001, the District passed legislation authorizing the collection of fees to fund these activities. 619.4

 

619.5As with air quality, water quality improvements cannot be tackled by the District alone. The Anacostia watershed includes 176 square miles and over 80 percent of this area is in Maryland. The Potomac watershed is larger still-over 14,600 square miles-and extends as far as West Virginia and Pennsylvania. A number of interstate and multi-agency initiatives have been launched to address water quality problems. These must be sustained and expanded in the future. 619.5

 

619.6Policy E-4.2.1: Improving Water Quality

 

Improve the quality of water in the District’s rivers and streams to meet public health and water quality standards, and maintain the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of these watercourses for multiple uses, including recreation and aquatic life. 619.6

 

619.7Policy E-4.2.2: Wastewater Treatment

 

Provide sustained capital investment in the District’s wastewater treatment system in order to reduce overflows of untreated sewage and improve the quality of effluent discharged to surface waters. Ensure that the Blue Plains treatment plant is maintained and upgraded as needed to meet capacity needs and to incorporate technological advances in wastewater treatment.

 

See the Infrastructure Element for a discussion of plans to separate storm and sanitary sewers.

 

619.8Policy E-4.2.3: Control of Urban Runoff

 

Continue to implement water pollution control and “best management practice” measures aimed at slowing urban runoff and reducing pollution, including the flow of sediment and nutrients into streams, rivers, and wetlands. 619.8

 

619.9Policy E-4.2.4: Riverbed Sediment

 

Reduce the level of toxins in Anacostia and Potomac River sediment. Remediation measures should minimize the possibility of water contamination resulting from dredging or disturbances of the river bottom. 619.9

 

619.10Policy E-4.2.5: Groundwater Protection

 

Protect Washington’s groundwater from the adverse effects of urban uses. Contaminated groundwater should be investigated to determine whether long term monitoring or treatment is necessary or feasible. Future land uses and activities should be managed to minimize public exposure to groundwater hazards and reduce the likelihood of future contamination. 619.10

 

619.11Policy E-4.2.6: Control of Illicit Discharges

 

Provide public outreach and education, and maintain inspection and enforcement procedures to control illicit discharges into the city’s storm drains and waterways. 619.11

 

619.12Policy E-4.2.7: Regional Coordination

 

Promote planning at the watershed level, particularly cooperative efforts with Maryland to address existing pollution loads in the Anacostia River basin. Undertake similar efforts with jurisdictions in the Potomac watershed to address water quality in the Potomac River. 619.12

 

619.13Action E-4.2.A: Stormwater Management Plan

 

Create a comprehensive multi-agency stormwater management plan covering such topics as low impact development (LID), maintenance of LID infrastructure, education, impervious surface regulations, fees, and water quality education. The plan should include output and outcome measures that achieve specific water quality standards, reevaluate and clarify stormwater standards to eliminate confusion, and propose fee levels that are sufficient to maintain an effective stormwater management program and encourage residents and businesses to reduce stormwater pollution. 619.13

 

619.14Action E-4.2.B: Funding

 

Continue to aggressively lobby for funding for water quality improvements, including abatement of combined sewer overflow, removal of toxins, and Anacostia River clean-up. Seek additional funding from Maryland and Virginia and set incentive-based fee structures for DC residents. 619.14

 

619.15Action E-4.2.C: Monitoring and Enforcement

 

Maintain a District water pollution control program that implements water quality standards, regulates land disturbing activities (to reduce sediment), monitors and inspects permitted facilities in the city, and comprehensively monitors DC waters to identify and stop violations. This program should be adequately staffed to carry out its mission and to implement innovative stormwater management programs. Other environmental programs, including underground storage tank regulation, contaminated site remediation, and pesticide control programs, must take groundwater impacts into account in their regulatory and enforcement activities. 619.15

 

619.16Action E-4.2.D: Clean Water Education

 

Working with DC-WASA and the newly created DC Department of the Environment, increase public information, education, and outreach efforts on stormwater pollution. These efforts could include such measures as community clean-ups, storm drain stenciling, school curricula, demonstration projects, signage, and advertisement and media campaigns. 619.16

 

619.17Action E-4.2.E: TMDL Program Implementation

 

Implement Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plans for the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, Oxon Run, Watts Branch, Rock Creek, Kingman Lake, the Washington Channel, and other tributaries as required by the Clean Water Act. A TMDL sets the quantity of a pollutant that may be introduced into a water body. As a critical step in implementing these requirements, waste load allocations for individual sources or discharges (including city entities) into the municipal stormwater system should be assigned and the technologies and management practices to control stormwater should be identified. 619.17

 

619.18Action E-4.2.F: Houseboat Regulations

 

Improve regulation of houseboats and other floating structures in the Washington Channel, Anacostia River, and Potomac River to reduce water pollution. 619.18

 

619.19Action E-4.2.G: Green Marinas

 

Promote the Green Marina Program of the Marine Environmental Education Foundation, encouraging boat clubs and marinas to voluntarily change their operating procedures to reduce pollution to District waters. 619.19

 

notation

The provisions of Title 10, Part A of the DCMR accessible through this web interface are codification of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. As such, they do not represent the organic provisions adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia. The official version of the District Elements only appears as a hard copy volume of Title 10, Part A published pursuant to section 9a of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1994, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1 -301.66)) . In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions accessible through this site and the provisions contained in the published version of Title 10, Part A, the provisions contained in the published version govern. A copy of the published District Elements is available www.planning.dc.gov.