Anacostia River - Pollution Sources

Pollution Sources

One of the biggest problems facing the Anacostia River is raw sewage that enters the river and its tributaries because of antiquated sewer systems. The sewage creates a public health threat because of fecal coliform bacteria and other pathogens; it also impairs water quality and can create hypoxic conditions that lead to large fish kills.

The Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) sued the Washington, D.C. Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) in 1999 for allowing more than 2,000,000,000 US gallons (7,600,000 m3) of combined sewage and urban runoff (stormwater) to flow into the river via its antiquated combined sewer overflow system. In settling the lawsuit, WASA agreed to invest $140 million on pump station rehabilitation, pipe cleaning and maintenance and public notices of overflows.

Pursuant to a stormwater discharge permit issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the D.C. government is implementing a stormwater management program to improve water quality in the Anacostia. The governments of Montgomery County and Prince George's County also operate stormwater management programs in their respective jurisdictions.

In late 2004, AWS and other organizations announced plans to sue the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) over similar problems with river contamination from the Maryland suburbs. According to WSSC, more than 4,000,000 US gallons (15,000 m3) of raw sewage were released into Anacostia tributaries between January 2001 and June 2004.

Another large source of river pollution is the Washington Navy Yard, which is sited alongside the river and is believed to be a source of PCB contaminants in the river and sediment.

In May 2009, an innovative device called the Bandalong Litter Trap was placed in the Watts Branch tributary of the Anacostia River. The trap was unveiled by Mayor Fenty as part of the Mayor's Green DC Agenda. In six months, it removed over 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg) of floatable litter from the river.