“NPS approves DC Water’s Soapstone Valley Park Sewer Rehabilitation Project”

Soapstone

From DC Water:

“The National Park Service (NPS) has completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) and approved DC Water’s proposed Soapstone Valley Park Sewer Rehabilitation Project. Soapstone Valley Park is managed by Rock Creek Park and is located southeast of the intersection of Connecticut Avenue NW and Albemarle Street NW, extending to Broad Branch Road NW.

DC Water has determined that the Soapstone Valley Park sanitary sewer system has exceeded its design life and is in need of rehabilitation. Through this project, DC Water will rehabilitate aging sewer infrastructure within Soapstone Valley Park while limiting disturbances to park resources.

The EA described a No Action Alternative and a Trenchless Alternative (DC Water’s Preferred Alternative) for the proposed project and identified and evaluated the impacts on natural and historic resources from implementing these alternatives. The NPS has selected the Trenchless Alternative for the project.

The proposed project will involve the following:

• Clean, line, and repair approximately 6,200 linear feet of sanitary sewer pipe.
• Reduce stream and groundwater infiltration and reduce potential for sewer overflows.
• Protect exposed pipes and manholes along the creek.
• Repair stormwater outfalls that are part of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) outlet.

DC Water will move forward with final design and anticipates construction will start in the winter of 2021/2022.

To ensure public safety, sections of Soapstone Valley Park will be closed to visitors throughout the project.

The project will require the removal or trimming of several hundred trees in Soapstone Valley Park. DC Water and Rock Creek Park are committed to replanting trees after completion of the project. All off-trail areas impacted by the project will be closed for two years to allow growth of newly planted trees.

The NPS Acting Director, Region 1 – National Capital Area signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Soapstone Valley Park Sewer Rehabilitation Project EA on April 14, 2020. The FONSI and EA are available online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=47855.”