Out of the Gutter: Reducing Polluted Runoff in the District of Columbia

Every time it rains, Washington, D.C. -- like most major cities -- is plagued by stormwater runoff, which has gravely contaminated the city's three major rivers (the Potomac, the Anacostia, and Rock Creek). To clean up the pollution, the city's Water and Sewer Authority is relying on conventional stormwater management practices, which are costly and outdated. In this July 2002 report, NRDC recommends instead that WASA adopt an approach called low-impact development, which would use "green" roofs, strategicallyplaced beds of native plants, rain barrels, and other measures to soak up rain and prevent it from washing directly into waterways. NRDC is also urging the local government and WASA to restructure the city's flat stormwater fee, protect environmentally sensitive lands, restorethe urban forest, and encourage water conservation and water reuse techniques.