DC Water breaks ground on final Clean Rivers tunnel
(UI) — DC Water has begun construction on the Piney Branch Tunnel, the final major tunnel in its Clean Rivers Project, marking the last phase of a long-running effort to reduce combined sewer overflows into the District's waterways.
The approximately half-mile-long, 22-foot-diameter tunnel will provide more than 4.2 million gallons of underground storage for stormwater and wastewater during heavy rain events. Instead of overflowing into Piney Branch, captured flows will be conveyed to the Blue Plains Water Resource Recovery Facility for treatment.
The utility expects the project to reduce combined sewer overflows into Piney Branch by approximately 96%, cutting overflow events from about 25 times per year to roughly once annually. The improvements will also help protect water quality in Rock Creek, the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.
Site preparation is underway, with tunneling expected to begin this fall. Construction will include rock excavation and controlled blasting as crews install the deep underground tunnel and associated infrastructure. The Piney Branch Tunnel is scheduled for completion by the end of 2029, alongside the Potomac River Tunnel, completing DC Water's Clean Rivers Project.
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