Every Drop Counts!

EVERY DROP COUNTS!:  

Additional Actions DC Water Should Take to Stem Flooding in Bloomingdale.

Photo Courtesy of DCIST (Photo by @kgaines): Read Article.

After reading DC Water's Bloomingdale Action Agenda highlighting the agency's current and proposed actions to stem the affects from the floods caused by the heavy and sudden rainfall over the last couple weeks I was, well, to put it diplomatically...unsatisfied.  I would like to offer a few more suggestions to DC Water:

Develop a comprehensive plan and convene an interagency coalition.  Bring together the best minds from DDOE, DDOT, DPW, OP, DMPED, OAG, OCFO, etc. to come up with coordinated short, midrange and longterm solutions.  This flooding/sewage back up problem will only be solved with each agency working in coordination with a clear common purpose.  Call upon the Mayor and Council to convene this taskforce to include reps from the relevant aforementioned government agencies, DC Council, the Office of the DC Congressional delegate, Mayor's Office and members of the community (I'll gladly serve!) to address this issue head on.  The taskforce would have a specific purpose and a limited term.  Such a commission would seek to find creative ways to reduce the effects of stormwater pollution by:

• educating residents and business owners on practical actions that can be taken (e.g., disconnecting downspouts, utilizing rain barrels, installing rain gardens, etc.)

• proposing tax/assessment incentives to land owners employing eligible stormwater reduction/retention strategies

• employing sustainable land use strategies, such as an overlay district to require certain implementation of proven methods of stormwater management designed to slow down, spread out and/or soak up stormwater in the areas serving and impacting the roughly 1/3 portion of the city that is served by a combined sewer/stormwater system

• proposing unlimited stormwater retention credits above the minimum on site requirement in the portion of the city served or impacting the combined sewer/stormwater system, 

• seeking federal funding via 
  a special appropriation and/or a grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) 
  for sustainable capital improvements like permeable alleys, sewer improvements, etc.

The photos below highlight a specific issue a DDOT/DC Water taskforce could address.  The top two photos show a before and after of an alley in Chicago where a permeable system was implemented.  On the bottom is a photo taken last week of the alley shared by residents at 1st, Seaton and S Streets, NW.  As anyone can see, the combination of broken brick, busted concrete and loose gravel is not only unattractive and unsafe, but also does nothing for the stormwater retention efforts and should be replaced along with all other alleys that have an impact on the combined water system and add to the flooding problem in Bloomingdale.  Every drop counts...