en.Wedoany.com Reported - DC Water has initiated the groundbreaking for the Piney Branch Tunnel, marking the start of construction for the final major tunnel in its Clean Rivers Project.

The Piney Branch Tunnel is approximately 800 meters long and 6.7 meters wide. This summer, construction crews will conduct site preparation, with tunneling work, including rock blasting, expected to begin in the fall.

Once completed, the tunnel will capture and store at least 4.2 million gallons of stormwater and sewage during heavy rain events, which will be conveyed to the Blue Plains Water Resource Recovery Facility for treatment.

Currently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists Piney Branch as an impaired waterbody under the Clean Water Act.

Matt Brown, interim CEO and General Manager of DC Water, stated that the Clean Rivers Project has already transformed the Anacostia River, and the Piney Branch Tunnel will bring similar benefits to Rock Creek and the Potomac River, serving as an initiative to protect waterways and build a cleaner, healthier future.

Much of Washington's sewer system is over 100 years old, and Piney Branch currently experiences approximately 25 combined sewer overflows annually. The new tunnel is expected to reduce overflows to once per year, cutting overflow volume by 96%.

The Piney Branch Tunnel is scheduled for completion by the end of 2029. This project, together with the Potomac River Tunnel currently under construction, will complete the entire Clean Rivers Project.