The Clean Rivers Project is DC Water's ongoing program to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSO’s), millions of litres of untreated water, into the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and Rock Creek in Washington DC (USA).

The Northeast Boundary Tunnel (NEBT) is a 7 m diameter, 15-48 m deep reinforced concrete sewer tunnel that will increase the capacity of the existing sewer system in the District, significantly mitigating sewer flooding and improving the water quality of the Anacostia River, where there is a  discharge on average of 2.1 billion gallons per year of untreated sewage and stormwater runoff (combined sewage).

The NEBT, the largest component of the Clean Rivers Project in Washington DC (USA), will be built using the TBM Lady Bird (92 m in length).

The NEBT will connect with the First Street Tunnel (in operation since 2016) and Anacostia River Tunnel (commissioned in 2018) to provide a complete gravity system from Northwest DC to Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, where all flows captured by the tunnel system will be delivered for treatment prior to discharge to the Potomac River.

The project includes the construction of diversion facilities sited near chronic flood areas to relieve the existing sewer system and divert combined sewer flows to the NEBT, ventilation control facilities to regulate air flow in the tunnel system.

Completion of the NEBT in 2023 will fulfil the new facility construction on the Anacostia River required by DC Water’s Consent Decree. Once the NEBT is connected to the other Clean Rivers tunnels, combined sewer overflows to the Anacostia River will be reduced by 98%. In addition to controlling combined sewer overflows, the construction of the Northeast Boundary Tunnel will reduce the chance of flooding in the areas it serves from approximately 50 to 7 % in any given year.

Since 2014 DC Water has conducted 61 meetings to inform residents and stakeholders about the upcoming NEBT project.

The Northeast Boundary Tunnel Public Engagement Team understands that building and maintaining a strong relationship with public support is an integral part of executing a successful project. Over the next few months, we will continue to engage the Communities, Residents, Business Owners, ANC's, Civic Associations, District Agencies, Churches, Organizations and Special Groups.

The Tunnel Groundbreaking Ceremony will be held in June 2018.

Click here and here for more on the project, us/109 for tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://www.dcwater.com. 07/18.