AWWA JAW6660

The crucial issue of assuring an adequate potable water supply to the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area (WMA) has been a subject of intense debate for at least 20 years and of concern for many more. Increased reliance on the Potomac River, which is subject to extreme fluctuations in flow, prompted a study of the most cost-effective ways to ensure an extension of water supply availability. The water supply problems in the WMA are diverse and complex and represent problems of political interaction as well as actual shortages of water. An analysis of future water deficit problems shows that although current water shortage possibilities are minimal, a significant risk of future shortages exist. One immediate action suggested is to develop a standard accounting procedure for all utilities that are withdrawing or planning to withdraw water from the Potomac. The following topics are also discussed: conservation; construction of more reservoirs such as the Bloomington Reservoir: interconnections between the Potomac and the reservoirs; wastewater reuse; use of flow-monitoring devices; and cooperation between various political factions in the area. Includes 21 references, tables, figures.