Th following is from a WSSC press release:
$25 million Secure the Source study will evaluate large-scale regional solutions to provide several weeks of emergency drinking water backup for more than 5 million people who rely on the Potomac River.
Regional water utility leaders from WSSC Water, Fairfax
Water, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with government partners,
announced the launch of Secure the Source, a $25 million regional study
to evaluate large-scale backup water supply alternatives for the Potomac River.
The National Capital Region is almost entirely dependent on
the Potomac River for its drinking water. That reliance leaves the entire
capital region vulnerable to disruptions caused by intentional sabotage,
accidental spills or contamination, prolonged drought, infrastructure failure,
natural disasters, climate variability, and other emerging risks.
The study will identify large-scale solutions capable of
providing several weeks of emergency backup drinking water for more than 5
million customers across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The
initiative follows approval by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil
Works to begin the landmark study, which will include 35 percent design work
and associated environmental impact assessments.
Why the Study Matters
“The Potomac River has served this region exceptionally well
for generations,” said WSSC Water General Manager and CEO Kishia L. Powell.
“However, planning for the future means recognizing that a single source of
supply, no matter how reliable, carries inherent risks. This study will help
identify a large-scale solution that strengthens the region’s resilience and
helps ensure uninterrupted water service during an emergency.”
Study Scope and Alternatives
Conducted in partnership with regional water providers,
state and local governments, federal agencies, and other stakeholders, Secure
the Source will identify a backup water supply that can reduce the impact
of extended disruptions to the Potomac River system.
The study will evaluate pre-screened large-scale regional
alternatives developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District,
including:
- No action
- Travilah Quarry (MD)
- Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant - Advanced Water Reuse (D.C.)
- Luck Stone Quarries B&C (VA)
“The Secure the
Source study represents a critical, collaborative step toward protecting
more than 5 million people who depend on this shared resource,” said Jamie
Hedges, General Manager/CEO of Fairfax Water. “By working together now, we can
strengthen our regional resilience and ensure that safe, dependable drinking
water is always there when our customers need it most.”
“Ensuring a safe, reliable, and uninterrupted water
supply to the National Capital Region is the core of the Washington Aqueduct's
mission,” said Rudy Chow, General Manager of the Washington Aqueduct. “While
our current systems are resilient, a secondary water source is an urgent
necessity to provide the critical operational redundancy required to safeguard
our nation's capital against future disruptions. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Baltimore District, is pleased to provide technical assistance to
this regional effort as our utility partners spearhead vital long-term water
security solutions.”
“This effort is exactly the kind of decisive action
that Maryland and the nation’s capital region need to secure the water supply
at a time of growing stresses and threats,” said Serena McIlwain, Secretary of
the Maryland Department of the Environment. “A sustainable, reliable water
supply is essential to sustain life and grow our economy, and this feasibility
study is a pivotal step to secure that water supply for generations to come.”
“Water is the foundation of public health, economic
vitality and national security,” said Michael Nardolilli, Executive Director of
the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin. “This study is about
ensuring that future generations inherit a water system that is resilient,
reliable and prepared for the challenges ahead.”
More than 5 million residents, visitors, businesses, federal
agencies, military installations, and institutions throughout the Washington
metropolitan region depend on uninterrupted access to safe drinking water from
the Potomac River. Utility leaders are expediting the pursuit of a large-scale
solution that would provide several weeks of backup drinking water storage
capacity for the entire metro region.
“This effort reflects what our region does best — working
together across jurisdictions and utilities to plan for our shared future,”
said Clark Mercer, Executive Director of COG. “Building on proven regional
investments like Jennings Randolph Reservoir and Blue Plains, we have a
once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our water supply and support the
region for decades to come.”
The effort builds on decades of regional collaboration
and prior investments designed to enhance drought resilience and water supply
reliability. The study's findings will provide decision-makers with the
technical, environmental, and engineering information needed to determine the
most viable path forward for long-term water security.
“Good governance means planning ahead and preparing
for challenges before they become crises,” said Montgomery County Executive
Marc Elrich. “More than five million residents depend on the water supply from
the Potomac River every day. This study is an important step toward ensuring
that we have the infrastructure and resiliency needed to protect public health
and maintain critical services during emergencies. I appreciate the leadership
of WSSC Water, Fairfax Water, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and our
regional partners for working together on this critical issue.”
Despite decades of planning and investment, the National Capital Region remains vulnerable because it is almost entirely reliant on the Potomac River for its water supply. “Past investments have strengthened our water future, but today’s planning alone cannot meet tomorrow’s challenges,” said Prince George’s County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy. “Completing this study is essential to identify the infrastructure needed to protect Prince George’s County and the region for decades to come.”
The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin
estimates that a prolonged, one-month disruption to the Capital Region’s water
source could result in up to $15 billion in lost gross regional product and
hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue.
The National Capital Region is home to the nation's capital,
major military installations, federal agencies, international organizations,
and one of the country's most dynamic economic centers. Regional leaders
emphasized that reliable access to drinking water is essential not only for
residents and businesses, but also for the continuity of critical government
and military operations.
Upon completion in two years, the study is expected to
position the region to pursue future federal, state, and local investments
needed to design and construct the recommended alternative. A large-scale
regional water security project will require significant investment, and
regional partners will need to work together to secure funding for construction
of the selected alternative.
Current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Study
The region previously pursued and received congressional
authorization and funding for a study to analyze options for a secondary source
of drinking water, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. USACE now follows a
framework under which studies must be completed within three years and cost $3
million or less. As a result, the scope of that study was reduced to assessing
upgrades at the Dalecarlia Reservoir that would provide approximately 12
additional hours of water reserve for the Washington Aqueduct exclusively.
While those upgrades would provide some increased resilience, regional water
utilities recognize the need for larger-scale regional solutions that can
provide several weeks of storage capacity, ensure customers throughout the
region have access to clean, safe drinking water during a crisis, and put the
region on par with the drinking water resilience of other major metropolitan
areas in the United States.
About WSSC Water
Established in 1918, WSSC Water is the largest utility in
Maryland and the eighth-largest water and wastewater utility in the nation. It
provides safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services to 1.9 million
residents in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties through approximately
475,000 customer accounts across a nearly 1,000-square-mile service area. WSSC
Water operates and maintains more than 11,000 miles of drinking water and sewer
mains. In more than a century of service, WSSC Water has never had a drinking
water quality violation.
As a not-for-profit public utility, WSSC Water is
focused on serving customers, not shareholders. Every dollar collected is
reinvested directly into infrastructure, technology, and its workforce to
strengthen reliability, improve service, and protect public health for
generations to come.
About Fairfax Water
Chartered in 1957 by the Virginia State Corporation
Commission as a public, not-for-profit water utility, Fairfax Water is governed
by a 10-member Board of Directors composed of Fairfax County citizens and
appointed by the elected Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. A General
Manager, supported by more than 514 water professionals, manages the day-to-day
operations of Fairfax Water. Fairfax Water is Virginia’s largest water utility
and one of the 25 largest water utilities in the country, serving one out of
every four Virginians who obtain their water from public utilities. More than
2.2 million people in Northern Virginia communities including Fairfax County,
Loudoun County, Prince William County, Herndon, Vienna, Alexandria, Falls
Church, Fairfax City, Fort Belvoir, and Dulles International Airport depend on
Fairfax Water for reliable drinking water.
Fairfax Water draws raw water from two primary
sources: the Potomac River and the Occoquan Reservoir, which is fed by the
Occoquan River, a tributary of the Potomac. Fairfax Water owns and operates two
of the largest water treatment facilities in Virginia, with average daily water
production of 170 million gallons and combined maximum production capacity of
345 million gallons per day.
About the Washington Aqueduct
The Washington Aqueduct, a division of the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Baltimore District, is a federally owned and operated public
water supply agency that has served the National Capital Region since 1859.
Operating two D.C.-based water treatment plants, the Aqueduct produces an
average of 135 million gallons of safe drinking water daily for approximately
one million regional users. The agency provides a dependable supply to three
wholesale customers: DC Water, Arlington County, and Fairfax Water. Grounded in
a rich engineering heritage, this vital federal asset integrates a unified
security posture with modern processes to support national security and
long-term regional water resilience.
About ICPRB
The mission of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac
River Basin is to protect and enhance the waters and related resources of the
Potomac River basin through science, regional cooperation, and education.
Through regional cooperation and partnerships, ICPRB protects the river and
improves quality of life in the watershed.
ICPRB monitors river levels and coordinates releases
from upstream drinking water reservoirs to supplement flow.
About COG
Founded in 1957, COG is a nonprofit association with a
membership of 300 elected officials from 24 local governments, the Maryland and
Virginia state legislatures, and the U.S. Congress. Every month, more than
1,500 officials and experts connect through COG to develop solutions to the
region’s major challenges and plan for the future. The Board of Directors is
COG’s governing body and is responsible for its overall policies. A wide
network of city and county managers, police and fire chiefs, housing and planning
directors, environmental officials, chief equity officers, public health
officials, transportation planners, and others coordinate through COG’s
committees, partnerships, and working groups.
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