THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS of the Fairfax Area League of Women Voters of the National Capital Area

NCA Water Supply Task Force Report

Drinking Water Supply in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area:

The Washington metropolitan area relies heavily on the Potomac River to supply its drinking water. While our water supplies are not threatened now, this concern may be closer than we expect. This study assesses the adequacy of the Potomac River water supply to meet the needs of the Washington metropolitan area as we continue growing in the 21st century. While a severe drought may not deplete our stored water supplies until 2035, such a drought could require water use restrictions as early as the next decade. The study reviews a number of strategies for responding to this threat, including conservation, construction of new reservoirs, and recycling of the effluent from Blue Plains. The Task Force does not choose among these options, but recommends a region-wide public process through which they can be analyzed and a consensus reached about the appropriate choice among them.