Water Resources Program Support: Source Water Supply and Protection, and Environmental Compliance

This contract will provide overall assistance to the Division of Water Resources Protection, which in general is responsible for source water protection (quantity and quality) from two river sources as well as environmental management (helping facilities understand and obtain their appropriate environmental permits and create pollution prevention plans). These environmental regulatory requirements may pertain to up to 30 WSSC-owned facilities. Source Water Supply and Protection WSSC Water uses a multi-barrier approach to protect our supply of water, the Potomac and Patuxent rivers. One challenge we face is that the water in these rivers comes from areas far upstream, where there are multiple land uses and potential pollution sources. Due to the size of the watershed surrounding the rivers, it's important for WSSC Water to form partnerships with regulatory and administrative agencies for each river. This allows us to participate in discussions related to land use policy, promote source water protection and raise awareness about water quality and safety. WSSC Water belongs to these water source protection partnerships: The Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership is coordinated by the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB). The Potomac River is a shared resource providing drinking water to 15 utilities. To learn more about partnership and workgroup priorities, visit the Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership. The Patuxent Reservoirs Watershed Protection Group was established in 1996 to cooperatively protect the long-term biological, physical and chemical integrity of the Patuxent Reservoirs and their watershed. These two reservoirs are created by WSSC Water's Brighton Dam and T. Howard Duckett Dam. This partnership is coordinated by WSSC. Read the group's annual reports to learn more. WSSC Water owns and maintains three dams that provide drinking water to our 1.9 million customers in Montgomery and Prince George's counties: the Brighton Dam, the T. Howard Duckett Dam and the Little Seneca Dam. The Brighton and T. Howard Duckett dams span the Patuxent River and three counties to create two reservoirs: the Triadelphia Reservoir and the T. Howard Duckett reservoir. The Triadelphia Reservoir is fed by two major tributaries: the Upper Patuxent and Cattail Creek. The T. Howard Ducket Reservoir is fed by water released from the Brighton Dam and by the Hawlings River. The two reservoirs are surrounded by 6,000 acres of wooded property that comprise the WSSC Water-owned portion of the Patuxent Watershed. Together, the reservoirs store almost 11 billion gallons of water and create a body of water with a combined surface area of 1,600 acres. The reservoirs supply water that is treated at our Patuxent Water Filtration Plant, which provides drinking water to a portion of customers in Prince George's and Montgomery counties. Located in Black Hill Regional Park, which is operated by the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Little Seneca Dam and Little Seneca Lake hold four billion gallons of water. This reservoir is part of the Washington Metropolitan Regional Water Supply. Water is released into Seneca Creek, which travels to the Potomac River to provide water at the region's three water intakes operated by WSSC Water, Fairfax Water and the Army Corps of Engineers. Environmental Management Main Environmental Management Program responsibilities: Obtaining/assisting with environmental permits, Developing required pollution prevention plans, and Developing guidance on environmental compliance. Relevant environmental regulations affecting WSSC facilities include: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Individual Facility Discharge Permits General Stormwater Discharge Permits (including developing Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans [SWPPP]) Water Appropriations Permits Discharges from Tanks, Pipes, Other Liquid Containment Structures, Dewatering Activities, and Groundwater Remediation Permit Discharges from Application of Pesticides Permit Oil Control Regulations (including developing Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures [SPCC] Plans) Hazardous Waste Regulations