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DC Water and Sewer Authority 

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From the web site of the DC Water and Sewer Authority: “From its inception in 1938 until 1996, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Utility Administration was a part of the DC Government. In 1996, the DC Government and the U.S. Government collaborated to create the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DCWASA), a semiautonomous regional entity. Although DCWASA continues to maintain some ties with the DC Government, its finances are now separate. The Authority develops its own budget which is incorporated into the District's budget and then forwarded to Congress. All funding for operations, improvements and debt financing now comes through usage fees, EPA grants and the sale of revenue bonds. The new organizational structure enables DCWASA to respond quickly to changes in the industry, to create its own regulations and policies for procurement, human resources and finances, to negotiate its own contracts and labor agreements and to sell bonds.

“DCWASA's daily operations are controlled by a General Manager who reports to an 11-member Board of Directors. Six of the board members represent the District and five represent the adjoining jurisdictions, two members each from Prince Georges and Montgomery counties in Maryland and one from Fairfax County in Virginia. The Board met for the first time on September 26, 1996. The Board holds regular meetings on the first Thursday of the month. For information about Board or Committee meetings, which are open to the public, contact the Board Secretary at 202-787-2330.

“DCWASA provides retail water and wastewater services to its residential and commercial customers in the District, with rates for these services set by the Authority's District of Columbia Board Members. Wholesale wastewater treatment is provided to portions of Montgomery and Prince Georges counties in Maryland and Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia, as well as to the town of Vienna, Virginia. These suburban jurisdictions pay the full cost for their use of facilities and services based on a funding formula in the Blue Plains Intermunicipal Agreement. DCWASA's Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant, located in southwest Washington, is the largest advanced wastewater treatment facility in the world.

“The Authority buys its drinking water from the Washington Aqueduct, a division of the Army Corps of Engineers. The Aqueduct treats the water and DCWASA distributes it throughout the District.” http://www.dcwasa.com/about/gen_overview.cfm.

DC WASA home page.

Lead Contamination Issue


Mayor Williams; Scott Weiss, Brita Products Company, City Administrator Robert Bobb; and Glenn Gerstell, Chairman, WASA; March 3, 2004 (photo by Lateef Mangum, EOM)
City officials announce interagency task force on lead in water, February 11, 2004
Glenn Gerstell, Jerry Johnson, Michael Marcotte, WASA
DC Council hearing: WASA officials Glenn Gerstell, Jerry Johnson, William Marcotte, February 25, 2004 
Congressional hearing on WASA: Jerry Johnson, Williams Marcotte, WASA; Benjamin Grumbles, Donald Welsh, EPA; Glenn Gerstell, WASA, March 5, 2004
Tom Jacobus, Washington Aqueduct; Mayor Williams
Tom Jacobus, Washington Aqueduct, Mayor Williams
Daniel Lucey, Department of Health, March 10, 2004
  • US House of Representatives, Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, “A Public Health Tragedy: How Flawed CDC Data and Faulty Assumptions Endangered Children’s Health in the Nation’s Capital,” May 20, 2010
  • DC WASA, press release, press release, District drinking water meets federal requirements for lead levels, January 10, 2006
  • DC WASA, press release, Inspector General report shows declining lead levels in water, June 20, 2005
  • DC WASA, press release, Glenn Gerstell to serve second term as DC WASA chairman, June 7, 2005
  • DC WASA, press release, Significant Milestone Reached in Reducing Lead in District Drinking Water, May 10, 2005
  • DC WASA, press release, additional lead and copper rule compliance sample results, March 11, 2005
  • DC WASA, press release, tests show lead levels continue to decline, March 8, 2005
  • DC WASA, press release, WASA Data Shows Declining Lead Levels, January 19, 2005
  • Committee on Public Works and the Environment, Report on the Investigation into the Conduct and Operations of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Relating to Lead in Drinking Water and Its Lead Service Replacement Program, December 21, 2004
  • DC Appleseed Center, “Lead in the District of Columbia Drinking Water,” December 8, 2004 (in PDF format, on the Center’s web site
  • Eric Holder, Covington & Burling, Summary of investigation reported to the Board of Directors of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, July 16, 2004
  • DC WASA, treatment to address lead problem is modified, press release, May 27, 2004
  • US House of Representatives, Committee on Government Reform, Public Hearing: Thirsty for Results: Lessons Learned from the District of Columbia’s Lead Contamination Experience, May 21, 2004
  • Chemical treatment recommended to address lead problem, May 19, 2004
  • Lead Free Drinking Water Act, S. 2377 and H.R. 4268, May 4, 2004
  • Department of Health and DC WASA study of lead in water in DC public schools, April 29, 2004
  • Interagency Task Force on Lead in Drinking Water, final report, April 22, 2004
  • Councilmember Carol Schwartz, press release, introduces bill to require water lead testing in apartment buildings, April 20, 2004
  • WASA to install new pipes to increase water pressure and replace lead service pipes east of the river, April 12, 2004
  • Interagency Task Force on Lead in Drinking Water, interim report, April 9, 2004
  • DC WASA Board of Directors, resolution on replacement of lead service lines, #04-28, April 2, 2004
  • Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, press release, applauding belated EPA enforcement effort, April 2, 2004
  • Committee on Public Works and the Environment continuation of public hearing on performance oversight of the Water and Sewer Authority and its lead service replacement program, April 1, 2004
  • John Capacasa, US Environmental Protection Agency, letter to Jerry Johnson, DC WASA, notifying WASA of its noncompliance with the Lead and Copper Rule, March 31, 2004
  • John Capacasa, US Environmental Protection Agency, letter to Glenn Gerstell and Jerry Johnson, DC WASA, requesting information to determine compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, March 31, 2004
  • Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, motion for a preliminary injunction against the DC Water and Sewer Authority, including draft order and press release, March 26, 2004
  • DC WASA, advertisement in Washington Post for public hearing on proposed rate increase, March 25, 2004
  • US Environmental Protection Agency, additional clarification of letter sent on March 22, 2004 (below), March 24, 2004
  • Mayor Anthony Williams and Councilmember Carol Schwartz, letter to President George W. Bush requesting federal reimbursement to the District of Columbia and WASA for blood testing, water testing, communications, logistics support, and lead pipe replacement, March 23, 2004
  • Press release, child admitted to DC hospital with elevated blood lead level, March 23, 2004
  • US Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, initial response to the March 17, 2004, letter from DC WASA, March 22, 2004
  • Sense of the Council on District Payment for the Replacement of Lead Service Lines on District Residents' Property Declaration Resolution of 2004, PR 15-787.
  • Sense of the Council on District Payment for the Replacement of Lead Service Lines on District Residents' Property Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2004, PR 15-786
  • Citizen Water Utility Board Amendment Act of 2004, Bill 15-753
  • DC Water and Sewer Authority, response to Environmental Protection Agency regarding elevated lead levels, March 19, 2004
  • DC Water and Sewer Authority, WASA conducts annual water maintenance program, March 19, 2004
  • DC Water for Kids press release calling for federal funding for lead in water issue, March 18, 2004
  • Rep. Tom Davis, Rep. Henry Waxman, and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, letter to Environmental Protection Agency on lead in water, March 17, 2004
  • Committee on Public Works and the Environment continuation of public hearing on performance oversight of the Water and Sewer Authority and its lead service replacement program, March 17, 2004
  • Environmental Protection Agency, press release: EPA to WASA: Redraw Lead Samples from 2004, March 16, 2004
  • Mayor Anthony Williams, press release, shipping water filters directly to affected homes, March 16, 2004
  • Rep. Paul Gillmor, announcement of investigation of lead in water by House of Representatives Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, including letters to DC WASA, EPA, and GAO, March 15, 2004
  • Councilmembers Harold Brazil press release calling for residential lead pipe replacement funding, March 15, 2004 
  • Councilmember Adrian Fenty press release and letter to US Attorney Roscoe Howard calling for criminal investigation of DC WASA, March 15, 2004
  • Department of Health, Blood Lead Levels as of February 3, 2004-March 14, 2004
  • DC WASA, press release, summary of 2004 water testing results, March 12, 2004
  • Department of Health, Blood Lead Levels as of February 3, 2004-March 11, 2004
  • DC WASA, press release, lead levels decrease dramatically in retest of two homes with highest levels, March 11, 2004
  • DC WASA, interim actions to respond to lead in drinking water issue, March 10, 2004
  • US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington Aqueduct, and DC WASA, Action Plan To Reduce the Occurrence of Lead Leaching from Service Lines, Solder, or Fixtures Into Tap Water In the District of Columbia And Arlington County and Falls Church, Virginia, March 10, 2004
  • Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, suits against the DC Water and Sewer Authority, DC City Government, Environmental Protection Agency, and Army Corps of Engineers over lead in water, March 8, 2004
  • US House of Representatives, Committee on Government Reform, hearing on lead in DC Water and Sewer Authority water, "Public Confidence, Down the Drain," March 5, 2004
  • Donald S. Walsh, Regional Administrator, US Environmental Protection Agency, letter to Robert Bobb, City Administrator, listing actions EPA believes WASA must undertake, March 4, 2004
    • Mayor Anthony Williams and Councilmember Carol Schwartz, letter to WASA Chairman Glenn Gerstell and Executive Director Jerry Johnson in response to EPA letter, March 5, 2004
  • DC WASA, WASA Board Retains Law Firm to Review Management of Elevated Lead Levels in Water, press release, March 4, 2004
  • Water for DC Kids press release, March 3, 2004
  • DC WASA, lead service maps 
  • Committee on Public Works and the Environment Investigation into the Conduct and Operations of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Special Project Resolution of 2002, PR 15-___, passed March 3, 2004
  • Carol Schwartz press release on letter to Senator James Inhofe and President George Bush requesting federal involvement in investigation of WASA lead contamination matter, February 27, 2004
  • Water for DC Kids press release, February 27, 2004
  • Lead in tapwater fact sheet from Office of the Mayor, February 27, 2004
  • Lead in tapwater fact sheet from Department of Health, February 27, 2004
  • Department of Health, letter sent to approximately 23,000 residences identified as having underground lead service pipes, February 26, 2004
  • Natural Resources Defense Council, press release demanding emergency action on lead in water, February 26, 2004
  • Committee on Public Works and the Environment public roundtable on the lead service replacement program of 2004-2005, February 25, 2004
  • DC WASA Press release, “Extensive school water testing program confirms low levels of lead in DCPS schools and facilities,” February 24, 2004
  • Elfreda Massie, interim superintendent, DC Public Schools, letter to parents and guardians on lead in the water at schools, February 24, 2004
  • Mayor Anthony Williams, Councilmember Carol Schwartz write to Rep. Tom Davis requesting Congressional investigation into DC WASA lead contamination, February 14, 2004
  • Mayor Anthony Williams and Councilmember Carol Schwartz, letter to Rep. Tom Davis on lead in tap water, February 13, 2004
  • Carol Schwartz, announces expanded committee investigation of WASA lead contamination matter, February 12, 2004
  • Councilmember Carol Schwartz, Talking Points for Water Quality Task Force Announcement, February 11, 2004
  • Interagency Task Force on Lead in Water, Draft, February 10, 2004
  • DC Water and Sewer Authority, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Extension of Lifeline Program to Tenants), February 6, 2004
  • Committee on Public Works and the Environment public roundtable on the lead service replacement program of 2004-2005, February 4, 2004
  • DC Water and Sewer Authority, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (rate increase), from DC Register, January 23, 2004

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