Drinking Water Testing
The Water Quality Division provides total chlorine and total coliform tests for drinking water.
Water Quality Certifications
As required under Section 401 of the Federal Clean Water Act, the Water Quality Division provides Water Quality Certification for draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The US Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, is the permitting authority for the NPDES program in the District of Columbia.
Under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the Water Quality Division certifies dredge and fill permits issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Source Water Assessment
The DC Department of Health is conducting a Source Water Assessment of the Potomac River watershed, upstream of the water supply intakes for the District of Columbia. The assessment includes the delineation of the District of Columbia's source water area, the identification of potential contamination sources, a susceptibility analysis for the intakes, and modeling of contaminant transport within the river system. The study is coordinated with various state and local government agencies and interest groups and there will be opportunity for public participation at important stages of the project.
