WHAT

• The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) has initiated a comprehensive sewer study to analyze the Beaverdam Branch sewer basin.
• Using the latest Geographic Information Systems technology, WSSC is capturing data on rainfall, wastewater flows, the conditions of pipes and manholes and areas where sewer mains have become exposed due to erosion in creeks and streambeds.
• WSSC is also assessing growth patterns to develop plans to meet future wastewater needs.
• The $2.9 million contract was awarded to View Engineering of Gaithersburg, MD.

WHY

• WSSC's top priorities are protecting public health and the environment, and the data collected from this study will assist WSSC to evaluate current conditions of underground infrastructure in this basin and make any needed repairs to the sewer system.
• The comprehensive study also will help WSSC meet future wastewater needs.

WHEN

• The comprehensive sewer study started in spring 2004. Due to the seasonal nature of the work, the sewer study will take approximately three years to complete.
• WSSC will inform customer's prior to work in their community, especially work involving smoke testing. Harmless smoke is used to isolate improper connections to the sewer system and defects in pipes.

ABOUT THE SEWER BASIN

• The Beaverdam Branch sewer basin follows the Beaverdam Creek watershed in central Prince George's County and serves portions of Seat Pleasant, Landover, Landover Hills, Cheverly, Capitol Heights, Glenarden, Lanham and New Carrollton communities.
• Beaverdam Creek is a tributary of the Anacostia River.
• The basin contains more than 180 miles of sewer mains ranging in size from 6 to 66 inches in diameter and is one of 29 major sewer basins in the WSSC service area.
• The Beaverdam Branch sewer basin transports nearly eight million gallons of sewage per day to the Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant in Washington, D.C.

ABOUT WSSC’s SEWER SYSTEM

• Serving a 1,000-square mile area in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, WSSC maintains more than 5,300 miles of sewer mains.
• WSSC's sewer system is a modern sanitary, or separate, system - meaning the pipes that carry wastewater from homes and businesses to wastewater treatment plants are separate from the storm water drainage system.