WASHINGTON SUBURBAN SANITARY COMMISSION 14501 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, Maryland 20707-5902. (301) 206-8100. Fax:(301) 206-8186. E-Mail:communications@wsscwater.com

WSSC GENERAL MANAGER CALLS FOR HOLISTIC APPROACH TO RESTORING THE HEALTH OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY

Jerry Johnson said steps must be taken to reduce pollution from stormwater runoff and agriculture development

LAUREL, MD (September 23, 2009): Jerry N. Johnson, General Manager, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) called on the Congress, the states, regulators, the Chesapeake Bay Commission and non-governmental organizations to “work in concert to take a serious look at addressing all sources of pollution, and not just point sources” as part of a comprehensive approach to reverse the decline of the nation’s largest estuary.

Testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment on the “Reauthorization of the Chesapeake Bay Program,” Johnson said “aggressive steps must be taken to address agriculture, development and stormwater run-off pollution sources in a manner that is equitable to all and enforceable.”

“The WSSC and the wastewater industry as a whole have invested heavily in infrastructure and programs to reduce pollutant loadings,” said Johnson. “As municipal and industrial wastewater is currently only 19% of delivered nitrogen loads and 21% of delivered phosphorus loads to the Bay, it is safe to say that we are pushing wastewater treatment technology to its limits and our successes are measurable.”

To meet the challenge of restoring the health of the Bay, the nation’s largest estuary, Johnson said the Clean Water Act should be updated to include the following:

• First, a holistic approach to address multi-jurisdictional challenges like the Bay by creating flexibility for watershed based solutions.
• Second, restoration of a strong financial partnership with the federal government to replace our aging infrastructure.
• Third, the Clean Water Act must be renewed to ensure we target our limited federal, state, and local resources to the most important challenges.

Johnson, who has been General Manager of WSSC since September 8, was formerly General Manager of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority DC WASA). Prior to working at DC WASA, Johnson had a distinguished public service career in Virginia. He served as Director of Public Utilities and the Deputy City Manager for Operations in Richmond. He was also General Manager for the Richmond Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Director of Community Facilities.

To read Mr. Johnson’s complete testimony, click here.

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Established in 1918, today WSSC is the 8th largest water and wastewater utility in the nation, with a network of more than 5,500 miles of fresh water pipeline and nearly 5,400 miles of sewer pipeline. Serving 1.8 million residents in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties our drinking water has always met or exceeded federal standards.