Journalist CHARLES DUHIGG, writing for The New York Times, has put put together an amazing series on Water Pollution called, “Toxic Waters.” Each article is a fascinating exploration into a tributary of this important issue. The series should be required reading for all of our politicians and decision makers. What’s in your glass of water? How important is water to you?

http://projects.nytimes.com/toxic-waters

DC WASA has changed the way sewer charges are calculated with its new Impervious Area Charge (IAC). As they see it, this charge equitably distributes the cost of sewer maintenance caused by runoff water.

Like many cities, Washington, DC has an aging sewer infrastructure which has not been updated to keep pace with growth in Washington. During a prolonged or torrential downspout, DC’s storm water system can be easily overwhelmed. Storm water runoff is exacerbated by impermeable groundcover including buildings, streets, patios and parking lots. Runoff water goes untreated into the areas waterways including Rock Creek, the Anacostia and Potomac and contributes to pollution in these bodies of water. It should be noted that this same water comes back to us as drinking water.

What’s forgotten in all of this is the fact that when considering a new patio or driveway or even an addition there are many responsible options to limit runoff. For example:

(1) Permeable pavers allow water to infiltrate to the earth.
(2) Flagstone patios can be set on stone dust rather than a concrete base.
(3) Cisterns and rain barrels can be installed to collect storm water coming off your roof. This water can then be used for landscape watering.
(4) Driveways can be constructed with permeable concrete, a relatively new. http://www.perviouspavement.org/
(5) Leach fields and dry wells can be integrated seamlessly into almost any landscaping plan.

New and old technologies and storm water management strategies such as the above can help. At this point, the fee is calculated by assessing homeowners one “Equivalent Residential Unit” (ERU). Businesses are assessed based upon the amount of impermeable land area they control. A shopping center with a big parking lot, for example, will pay a lot more than a mom and pop shop. This seems fair and correct. Homeowners get taxed at the same rate based upon a statistical average.

While I can appreciate WASA’s new fee as both necessary and a step in the right direction, they do not seem to have a mechanism in place to reward individuals and businesses which take extra effort to control water runoff. The tax is a “tailpipe solution” to a growing problem. Without an incentive or disincentive, all we can do is shrug and look forward to more taxes in the years to come when the problem gets worse. WASA should consider a tax credit for responsible individuals and businesses that make a concerted effort to help.

Better yet, WASA can use its clout to lobby for legislation to require what are now considered to be “alternative” materials and storm water strategies.

M Gotthelf

http://www.dcwasa.com/customercare/iab.cfm

There are many ways to let local, state and federal governments assist you with recouping some of your investment on home energy improvements. If you live in Mongtomery County, Maryland, you may have an advantage over other municipalities in the DC Meto area because you may be able to take advantage of not only federal government programs, but also generous programs from the state of Maryland and Montgomery County, Maryland. DC and Virginia also have programs in place and of course, with the Federal Government’s Energy Star Program and Recovery and Reinvestment act, there are many incentives to going green. The following table shows government programs and incentives for energy upgrades in the metropolitan DC area. Please follow the link below:

http://www.remodelgreendc.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Energy-Incentives1.pdf

compiled by Michael Gotthelf