Next week, DC Water will close the portion of the Soapstone Trail running from Audubon Terrace to Broad Branch Road as work on repairing a leaky sewer pipe gets under way. Parking on Audubon east of 29th Street NW will also be prohibited.
DC Water installed an emergency bypass after the leak was discovered earlier this month.
The pump on the left of the photo is sucking up sewage from the upstream manhole. A plug down inside that manhole prevents sewage from flowing into the leaking stretch pipe. (July 15th photo by David Jonas Bardin)
David Jonas Bardin took this photo on July 15th: “I could hear bypass sewage gurgling in the bypass hose, which runs roughly 350 feet. It protects the creek below.”
The downstream manhole where the bypass ends, above the creek. (July 15th photo by David Jonas Bardin)
The repair work involves lining the defective pipes, and if work begins Monday, August 3rd as hoped, should be completed by Friday.
The sewer pipes running through the Soapstone Valley are more than one hundred years old and are well beyond their expected lifespan. DC Water intends to either repair or replace them. Last Tuesday, DC Water told the community at a public meeting about the two options now under consideration. You’ll find some details here, and a more extensive report is in the works.
Here is the notice from DC Water about next week’s work:
DC Water Contact: Bisrat Abebe, Project Manager, (202) 787-2410, Bisrat.abebe@dcwater.com
July 30, 2015
EMERGENCY TRAFFIC ADVISORY
Soapstone Trail Closure and Audubon Terrace Parking Restriction to Begin on or Around August 3
(Washington, DC) – DC Water is scheduled to make emergency repairs to the 18” sanitary sewer main in Soapstone Valley. In response to a recent leak, which resulted in a sewage spill into the creek, crews will line defective pipes starting a few feet from the end of the road at Audubon Terrace, NW to approximately 300 feet east towards the trail. This emergency work is being performed as a critical measure to prevent future sewage spills. This work will result in the trail closure from the dead-end at Audubon Terrace, NW to Broad Branch Rd, NW for public safety reasons. In addition, there will be no parking on Audubon Terrace east of 29th Street NW. The repairs are tentatively scheduled to start on Monday, August 3, 2015 and are anticipated to be completed by the end of the week.
Important Information:
Emergency “No Parking” signs will be placed in the adjacent areas 72 hours prior to any construction activities.
Temporary traffic signs will be set up throughout the area to alert motorists and pedestrians to the upcoming closures. To keep everyone safe, the posted speed limits should be observed and obeyed when travelling through this area. DC Water is working closely with NPS and DDOT to ensure minimal disruption during this work.
With nearly 1,800 miles of sewer lines throughout its service area, DC Water appreciates notification from the public if a sanitary sewer spill or leak is suspected. Please call the 24-hour Emergency Command Center at 202-612-3400 at any time to report water or sewer emergencies in the District of Columbia. More information on the sewer system can be found at dcwater.com.