Independent · built from DC Water's own EPA filings
Almost all of it now goes into the Potomac — and nearly three quarters comes from a single pipe near the Roosevelt Bridge. We pulled 21 years of DC Water's quarterly filings to the EPA to show where, when and how much.
DC Water reports every combined sewer overflow to the EPA, but only as tables buried in quarterly PDFs. We extracted all of them — 4,480 records from 83 reports, 2005 to 2026 — and checked the figures against DC Water's own subtotals and a second, independent publication.
Millions of gallons per year. Hover any year for detail. 2018 and 2019 are each missing a quarter; 2026 is Q1 only.
DC Water (officially the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority) is Washington, D.C.'s water and wastewater utility. It's an independent authority that provides three core services:
Delivers water to ~700,000 people in DC
Manages sewer systems and treats wastewater at Blue Plains
Maintains fire hydrants, catch basins, and manages stormwater
Currently: 100% from the Potomac River
NEW 2025
Developing a second water source to reduce 100% reliance on Potomac River through advanced water purification.
18+ MILES OF TUNNELS
Massive underground tunnel system to capture sewage overflows and keep rivers clean.
10,000 COMPLETED
Replacing all 42,000 lead service lines in the District by 2030 at no cost to residents.
WORLD'S LARGEST
The largest advanced wastewater treatment plant in the world, serving DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
December 2025 - January 2026
DC Water sent letters over the holidays announcing major increases in Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charges based on updated property measurements. Some customers saw charges jump from $24/month to $57/month.
Current Status: DC Water has paused implementation after customer complaints about transparency and sudden increases. No timeline for resolution.
Understanding CRIAC →October 2025
DC Water hit a major milestone completing the 10,000th lead service line replacement - 25% of the way to the 2030 goal.
Through February 2026
Weekly controlled underground blasting at West Potomac Park for the 5.5-mile Potomac River Tunnel ($819M project, completion 2030).
Scheduled 2026
The Pure Water DC Discovery Center will break ground in 2026 as a hub for innovation, education, and collaboration on DC's second water source.
Based on metered consumption (CCF or gallons)
Based on water use (wastewater = water consumed)
Based on property's hard surfaces (roof, driveway, patio)
FY 2026: $24.23/residence (standard)
Updated measurements currently paused
Fixed monthly infrastructure maintenance charge
DC Water is making historic infrastructure investments:
Need help with your bill? DC Water offers financial assistance programs for income-qualified customers.