Current Programs

Joint Utility Discount Day

October 2000 marked the first year of WASA's participation in this event held annually at the DC Convention Center. During this event, All local utilities join together to offer eligible residents discounts on their utility bills. WASA employees are on hand to talk to residents and assist with applications, conduct demonstrations of in-home water conservation techniques and distribute water conservation kits. Over 4,000 residents applied for discounts in 2000 of which 1,300 qualified. In 2005, nearly 6,000 residents attended the event.

WASA provides the Customer Assistance Program (CAP), where eligible customers are offered a discount equal to 400 cubic feet of water per month. Currently, the CAP discount represents a monthly savings of $8.12 on your water bill. Contact the DC Energy Office or click here for more information.

S.P.L.A.S.H

WASA, through S.P.L.A.S.H. - Serving People by Lending A Supporting Hand, offers assistance to families in need so that they can maintain critical services, like water, until they get back on their feet. S.P.L.A.S.H. is funded solely by contributions from the community, as well as from thoughtful customers. The program is administered directly by the Greater Washington Urban League and every dollar received by WASA is distributed to eligible customers. All contributions will be deposited in a bank account from which the Greater Washington Urban League makes payments on behalf of eligible customers. WASA pays all administrative costs. WASA has also redesigned its water and sewer bills to make it easy for generous customers to make this worthwhile contribution utilizing a "Round-up" feature. For more information, please call our customer service department at (202) 354-3600 or click here to contribute.

GreenDC Week

WASA participates in GreenDC week, the District's version of the national Earth Day celebration. Past activities concentrated on cleaning floatable debris on the Anacostia River and picking up trash along its shoreline. In 2006 in addition to river cleanup efforts, WASA representatives will participate in a daylong Water Day activity held at locations throughout the District focusing on environmental issues and conservation.

Bread for the Soul

Since 2001, WASA has worked with Bread for the Soul, Inc., a local nonprofit grassroots organization, to provide holiday relief for families affected by HIV/AIDS. In 2005, WASA adopted 69 families, which included 81 adults and 152 children. The adopted families received toys, food and other gifts prior to the holiday season.

It is estimated that 1 in 20 people in the District of Columbia is infected with AIDS (a rate that is 10 times greater than the national average). More than 11,000 people in the Washington Metropolitan Area live with AIDS. Tens of thousands more are estimated to be infected with HIV. (Source: AIDS Walk 2005)

DC Public Schools

DCWASA management and staff are frequent speakers at school career days, vehicle days and judges at science competitions. DCWASA also promotes tours of its Blue Plains Plant to metropolitan schools and institutions of higher education.

WASA is also providing a lesson in Sewer Science to District high schools in 2006. Sewer Science is an interactive mini wastewater treatment plant high school students use to learn about wastewater, the processes involved in treating it and how it is recycled back into the area rivers. WASA plans to provide the Sewer Science laboratory each month during the school year to interested schools throughout the district. The lab is free of charge and all materials, including workbooks are included. For more information, call (202) 787-2200.

Applied Research

In addition to partnering with the community with voluntary projects, DCWASA continues to support and implement research to develop improved methods of carrying out its mission. The Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant provides numerous opportunities for demonstration of new technical approaches and ideas. For example, the Fiscal Year 2005 budget includes funding for the following significant research efforts:

In cooperation with other utilities in Maryland and Virginia, DCWASA is funding the third and final year of a major project involving the mobility of phosphorus from biosolids to the aquatic environment. This research is being conducted by the University of Delaware, Virginia Tech, the University of Maryland and Penn State University.
Through DCWASA's sponsorship of the Water Environment Research Foundation, DCWASA is participating in another collaborative research effort involving utilities around the world to develop new technology to improve wastewater system operations. DCWASA staff serves on project advisory committees addressing health, safety and management issues.
DCWASA is supporting joint research by the University of Maryland and the US Department of Agriculture to assess odors associated with land application of biosolids.
DCWASA has begun a partnership with Howard University's College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Sciences, to develop a wastewater technologies center, initially focusing on the application of membrane filtration processes to improve wastewater treatment efficiency.
In cooperation with the Washington Aqueduct, DCWASA provides support to the American Water Works Association Research Foundation, a national collaborative research effort involving over 1,000 utilities and other supporters around the world. Over the past two years DCWASA's water program has conducted and presented over a dozen research projects at national American Water Works Conferences related to lead reduction, public health, bacteria reduction, homeland security monitoring, operation and maintenance methods, and management issues. A number of these projects cover ground-breaking research and have been utilized as guidance development for the USEPA

Other Programs

Christmas in April

DCWASA employees have participated in the national Christmas in April program for several years. The program is designed to help DC residents to perform much needed renovations to their properties that they do not have the resources to do on their own.

Keep America Beautiful

Employees from various DCWASA departments are regular participants in Keep America Beautiful, a citywide initiative that began two years ago. Washington, DC joined the annual national effort to beautify major cities with a major kickoff in 2000.

DC Water Day

2001 marked the inaugural sponsorship of this event. Area restaurants donated a portion of their proceeds on June 19, 2001 to the S.P.L.A.S.H. program.

Stanton Elementary School Partnership

DCWASA rehabilitated a major water storage facility near the playground of Stanton two years ago. When the work was completed, employees planted and fenced in a flower garden to enhance the appearance of the facility, located at the intersection of Naylor Road and Alabama Avenue, SE.

Adopt-a-Block Program

DCWASA employees have worked with the Office of the Mayor in supporting the city's Adopt-a-Block program. We have "adopted" a block on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE and another on Benning Road. Employees clean catch basins, and provide paint and paint brushes for neighborhood groups to paint fire hydrants. DCWASA also frequently participates in various neighborhood cleanup events by providing both services and materials.

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