Program Mission

Effective and efficient programs begin with a vision and a mission. It is important that the vision and mission be developed with feedback from affected stakeholders. DC Water's vision and mission statements are presented below.

DC Water Vision

DC Water's vision is for the biosolids program is to establish a self-sustaining, world-class regional biosolids management program that will carry the facility through the demands of this century.

The mission statement presented below was developed using a structured decision process to address biosolids management and multiple stakeholder. The following groups participated in developing the biosolids mission statement:

  • DC Water staff
  • The Operations Committee of the DC Water Board of Directors
  • The Blue Plains Regional Committee/Technical Committee
  • Representatives from the District of Columbia
  • Representatives from Prince George's and Montgomery counties, Maryland
  • Representatives from Fairfax County, Virginia
  • The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
  • The United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • The Virginia Department of Health
  • The Maryland Department of Environment
  • The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

    • DC Water Biosolids Mission

    The mission of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority's Biosolids Management Program is to provide reliable, diversified, flexible, sustainable, environmentally sound, publicly acceptable, and cost-effective management of biosolids produced by the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, while helping preserve agriculture and protect the Chesapeake Bay.

    Policy

    DC Water has committed to the National Biosolids Partnership (NBP) Code of Good Practice as its biosolids policy.

    The National Biosolids Partnership's Code of Good Practice 10 Principles of Good Conduct

    The Code of Good Practice (the Code) is a broad framework of goals and commitments to guide the production, management, transportation, storage, and use or disposal of biosolids—in short, a comprehensive environmental management system (EMS) for biosolids. Those who embrace the Code and participate in the EMS commit to "do the right thing." Specifically, Code subscribers and EMS participants pledge to uphold the following principles of conduct:

    1. Compliance: To commit to compliance with all applicable federal, state and local requirements regarding production at the wastewater treatment facility, and management, transportation, storage and use or disposal of biosolids away from the facility
    2. Product: To provide biosolids that meet the applicable standards for their intended use or disposal
    3. Environmental Management System: To develop an environmental management system for biosolids that includes a method of independent third-party verification to ensure effective ongoing biosolids operations
    4. Quality Monitoring: To enhance the monitoring of biosolids production and management practices
    5. Quality Practices: To require good housekeeping practices for biosolids production, processing, transport and storage and during use or disposal operations
    6. Contingency and Emergency Response Plans: To develop response plans for unanticipated events such as inclement weather, spills and equipment malfunctions
    7. Sustainable Management Practices and Operations: To enhance the environment by committing to sustainable, environmentally acceptable biosolids management practices and operations through an environmental management system
    8. Preventive Maintenance: To prepare and implement a plan for preventive maintenance of equipment used to manage biosolids and wastewater solids
    9. Continual Improvement: To seek continual improvement in all aspects of biosolids management
    10. Communications: To provide methods of effective communication with gatekeepers, stakeholders and interested citizens regarding the key elements of each environmental management system, including information relative to system performance

    What We Do