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Arlington staff warn of regional water risks after Potomac interceptor break and flag DC Water interest in Washington Aqueduct
Summary
DEES briefed the board on regional water infrastructure risks after a Potomac interceptor break and confirmed DC Water has expressed interest in acquiring the Washington Aqueduct; staff said any transfer would require federal or legislative action and that county officials are monitoring implications for reliability and cost.
County water and sewer staff used the DEES FY27 budget briefing to flag regional infrastructure risks and ongoing work on the Washington Aqueduct and Potomac interceptor (PTOIC) outage.
Greg told the board the recent PTOIC break caused major sewer impacts downstream and that DC Water’s ongoing interest in the Aqueduct would, if pursued, require legislative action. "They've had this concept of if they control the aqueduct they would better control their own destiny... it would have to be line‑item legislation," Greg said.
Why it matters: Arlington purchases treated water from the Washington Aqueduct; any change in ownership, governance or capital planning at the aqueduct could have consequences for purchase water pricing and long‑term reliability. Staff said the county is part of regional planning discussions and is seeking federal and Corps of Engineers analyses of storage and redundancy options.
Operational context
- Potomac interceptor break: Staff described the PTOIC failure as producing significant regional sewage impacts; other jurisdictions feeding the interceptor may bear repair costs through pre‑existing agreements with DC Water.
- Aqueduct planning and redundancy: County staff and regional partners are exploring options to improve off‑river storage and other investments to reduce single‑point vulnerabilities. A range of options exists from reservoir elevation projects to larger, multi‑jurisdictional investments that would take years to plan and implement.
- Rates and capital: The Aqueduct’s capital needs and DC Water’s budget pressures (including labor, electricity and chemicals) are likely to feed into future water purchase costs; DEES staff said they are monitoring potential acquisitions and planned to meet with DC Water leadership and federal partners.
Next steps: County staff will continue regional coordination and provide updates to the board, including follow‑up meetings with Aqueduct and DC Water leadership and further analysis of scenarios and potential costs.
