Res 04-15
ANC 3F RESOLUTION REGARDING REMOVAL OF LEAD SERVICE
LINES
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3F
North Cleveland Park, Forest Hills, & Tenleytown
4401A Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Box 244
Washington, D.C. 20008-2322
WHEREAS: the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority (DC-WASA or Authority)
Board of Directors has proposed a policy on replacement of lead service lines,
publishing notice in the DC Register, Vol. 51, pages 4007-08 (Apr. 16, 2004),
and inviting written comments to the Board of Directors up to and including
Friday, May 28, 2004; and
WHEREAS: DC-WASA has scheduled three public community meetings
for interested citizens to learn and comment orally about that proposed replacement
policy [which is appended], including a meeting on May 3 between 6:30 and
8:30 pm at the Chevy Chase Branch Library (5625 Connecticut Avenue, NW);
and
WHEREAS: DC-WASA has identified concentrations of lead service
lines in various portions of ANC 3F but no plans to replace any of those
lines in 2004;
WHEREAS: according to public health research, ingesting lead
by any pathway (breathing, eating, or drinking) adversely affects human beings,
particularly young children, infants and fetuses, leading to long-term, even
permanent, setbacks in mental development, behavior, and medical condition,
and may adversely affect certain adults (there being no “safe” quantity of
lead to ingest or accumulate day in, day out) – with the D.C. Government
web site stating: “The Environmental Protection Agency warns that too
much lead in the human body can cause serious damage to the brain, kidneys,
nervous system, and red blood cells. Young children under 6 and pregnant
women are most at risk, even from short term exposure”; and
WHEREAS: lead service lines may adversely affect property values;
and
WHEREAS: lead service line removals will inconvenience residents
and visitors while streets are opened, reconstructed, and resurfaced;
WHEREAS: the Board of Directors of the Authority, an independent
agency in the Executive Branch of the Government of the District of Columbia
(established in 1996 by a D.C. Law enacted by the Council of the District
of Columbia) must give “great weight” to ANC recommendations in reaching
its policy decision (pursuant to D.C. Official Code, Sections 1-309.10(a)
through (c)(1));
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F strongly recommends that
DC-WASA
(a) remove all known lead service lines in the public space no later than
September 30, 2007; and
(b) give all residents on a block scheduled for such replacement as much
notice as possible and offer to verify whether any lines not identified as
lead are in fact lead lines.
_________________________________________________________________________
Approved by a vote of 6-0-0 at a duly noticed public meeting on April 19,
2004, with a quorum present (four commissioners constituting a quorum).
/s/ Karen Lee Perry
/s/ Cathy Wiss
Karen Lee Perry, Chair
Cathy Wiss, Secretary
Appendix: Text of Proposed DC-WASA Policy
DC-WASA’s proposed policy would state:
“(a) It is the policy of DC-WASA to have no lead service
lines in the public space portion of its water supply system. Therefore,
the Authority will remove all known lead service lines from the public space
no later than September 30, 2010, and replace these lines with EPA–approved
service lines. In the future, if a lead service line is discovered
that was not previously identified and replaced prior to September 30, 2010,
the Authority will replace the public space portion of that service line
within 90 days of knowing of its existence.
“(b) Recognizing the significance of privately-owned portions
of the lead service lines which are outside its present legal responsibility,
the Authority will also encourage homeowners to eliminate lead service lines
on their properties, and will coordinate with and facilitate public and private
efforts to that end, including offering homeowners an opportunity to replace
the private portion of lead service lines with EPA–approved service lines
at the Authority’s actual cost.”