Effective and efficient programs begin with a vision and a mission. It is important that the vision and mission be developed based on a process that considers feedback from affected stakeholders. WASA's vision and mission statements are presented below.

WASA Vision

WASA's vision 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 issues, summarized in the Biosolids Management Program Decision Science brochure. This approach was an interactive process and required participation and input during workshops conducted over several months in 1999. Participants included WASA staff and the operations committee of the WASA board of directors, the Blue Plains Regional Committee/Technical Committee (BPRC/BPTC), representatives from the District of Columbia, Prince George's and Montgomery Counties, Maryland, Fairfax County, Virginia, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE), and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG).

WASA Biosolids Mission

The mission of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority 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

WASA has committed to the 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

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