At the ANC 3F meeting in January, commissioners passed a resolution urging Mayor Bowser and the National Park Service to pause permits for the project, and requested that the various agencies involved bring in a third-party expert to review the environmental and human health impacts of DC Water’s chosen method of relining the 110-year-old sewer pipes.
DC Water is pressing on. Last Friday, the agency said in a community outreach email that the project’s contractors were beginning “site visits to complete survey work, to stake out the Limits of Disturbance (LOD), and tag trees for removal, trimming or protection.” This phase, the email said, would be complete around the end of this month. Then, once the Park Service and the DC government issue the permits, construction is to begin.
The email did not mention ANC 3F’s resolution, but did announce a virtual community meeting on the project this Thursday, February 17th at 6:30 p.m. Register at dcwater.com/soapstone to participate on Microsoft Teams. Or call 202-753-6714 and enter ID code 274 001 767# to listen in on the phone.
We also encourage you to sign up for DC Water’s Soapstone updates by emailing soapstone.info@dcwater.com.
And here’s DC Water’s community update, sent Friday, February 11th:
This notice provides information about upcoming Soapstone Valley Park Sewer Rehabilitation project construction within the park.
After years of intensive planning, design, permitting and coordination, this project is ready to begin construction to address the aging sewer pipes, protect and repair other critical infrastructure, and deliver the co-benefits of this project to the park, the National Park Service (NPS), and the larger community. The project will address aging and defective sewer pipes extending from Albemarle Street NW to Broad Branch Road NW, preventing further sewer failures and improving water quality in the park and in Rock Creek.
Minimizing tree removal has been a driving force in the design of this project, but some trees must be removed primarily to repair a large stormwater outfall, protect exposed sewers and manholes within the stream and complete associated stream restoration. These trees will be replaced with native species of trees as part of the project.
Beginning on Friday, February 11, 2022 DC Water contractors will begin site visits to complete survey work, to stake out the Limits of Disturbance (LOD), and tag trees for removal, trimming or protection. This initial task will not require heavy equipment and is expected to be complete by February 28, 2022. Following this task, construction activities will begin after the necessary permits for this project are issued by the National Park Service and the District of Columbia
government. Normal construction hours are from 7am to 7pm Mon- Sat. At times, night work and Sunday work will be necessary.
Upcoming Meeting
Our project team will be hosting a Virtual Public Meeting on February 17, 2022 at 6:30 pm via Microsoft Teams to discuss:
● Project Needs and Benefits
● Project Planning and Alternative Analysis
● Environmental Review and Permitting
● Procurement
● Where We are Now
Meeting invite will follow this notice
For More Information
24/7 Project Hotline: 202-301-8058
Project Email: soapstone.info@dcwater.com
Project Webpage: dcwater.com/projects/soapstone_sewer