Posts tagged Water
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Lead in the District’s water is still a problem. Will the DC Council fund a plan to fix it?
Long before Flint, the District faced an acute lead crisis in the early 2000s. Many here believe lead issues in the District's water have been resolved, but alas, it's a false sense of security. Keep reading…
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DC’s rivers could be swimmable in the next several years
The reasons why you can’t safely or legally swim in the District’s rivers could be resolved within the next several years. That would open new outdoor recreation opportunities city-wide and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors, and also represents a concrete milestone for clean rivers which until recently seemed difficult to envision. Keep reading…
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The fascinating story of DC’s aqueducts and reservoirs
Have you ever wondered where the District's drinking water comes from, or puzzled over why the McMillan reservoir is located in the center of the city, far from the water sources that supply it? GGWash contributor Elliot Carter's DC Underground Atlas showcases the history and engineering of this hidden underground world. Here's a taste of what he found. Keep reading…
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Who should pay to keep DC’s rivers clean?
DC's multi-billion dollar project is cleaning up local waterways, but also costing some nonprofit landowners like cemeteries and churches hundreds of thousands of dollars a year that they cannot always afford. Keep reading…
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National links: Is America getting cities wrong again?
Star cities continue to develop their urban centers — but why are they so empty? By controlling the curb, cities can control the future. The next leader in water management could be…Los Angeles? Keep reading…
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Ellicott City flooded again. Was this a man-made or natural disaster?
All eyes are on stormwater management in Howard County following Memorial Day weekend's stunning images of floods rampaging through historic Ellicott City in Maryland. Why are these floods happening, and can anything be done about it? Keep reading…
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“Green Streets” keep streams and rivers safe. So why are some communities rejecting them?
Maybe you’ve noticed: the Washington region is pretty wet. All that precipitation can become contaminated when it hits the ground, and communities need to prevent that polluted water from ending up in our streams and rivers. One way that Montgomery County is addressing this problem is through its Green Streets program. Keep reading…
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Here’s what all those charges on your DC Water bill mean
Have you ever been mystified by all those charges on your monthly water bill? DC Water does far more than supply clean water and take waste away from our homes and businesses, so it can be a bit complicated. Never fear — we'll help you decode the charges. Keep reading…
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Salt with care to protect your drinking water
Every winter nationwide we dump more than 20 million tons of salt onto our roadways, parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks. Road salts are increasingly contributing to poor water quality in our streams, rivers, and lakes across the country. Keep reading…
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Thirsty? This app helps you find free water
Are you ever unsure of where to fill up your reusable water bottle, or whether it’s ok to ask a store for water without buying anything? There’s a program you can use for finding free, potable tap water in our region, which is good for both you and the environment. Keep reading…