en.Wedoany.com Reported - DC Water has broken ground on the Piney Branch Tunnel, the final major tunnel in its Clean Rivers Project. The project will help prevent sewage and trash from entering local waterways, making Rock Creek, the Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay cleaner.

Once completed, the Piney Branch Tunnel will be able to hold at least 4.2 million gallons of stormwater and wastewater during heavy storms. Instead of overflowing into Piney Branch, this water will be sent to the Blue Plains Water Resource Recovery Facility for treatment.

"We've already seen how the Clean Rivers Project has made a real difference for the Anacostia River, and this project will bring the same benefits to Rock Creek and the Potomac River," said Matt Brown, DC Water's Interim CEO and General Manager. "The Piney Branch Tunnel is another way we are protecting our waterways and building a cleaner, healthier future for everyone who lives, works, and plays in Washington, D.C."

The project includes a deep underground tunnel approximately half a mile long and 22 feet wide, along with other necessary facilities to hold combined stormwater and wastewater during heavy rain. This summer, crews are preparing the site before tunnel excavation begins. In the fall, construction crews are expected to begin excavating rock, which will include planned blasting operations.

Many of Washington, D.C.'s sewer systems are over 100 years old. During heavy rain, the system can be overwhelmed with more water than it can handle. When this happens, stormwater mixed with wastewater is discharged into streams and rivers, increasing pollution and trash in waterways and potentially harming fish and other wildlife. Currently, this occurs about 25 times a year in Piney Branch. With the tunnel, it is expected to happen only once a year, reducing overflow by 96%.

The Piney Branch Tunnel is scheduled for completion by the end of 2029. Together with the Potomac River Tunnel currently under construction, the project will complete the Clean Rivers Project and help protect Washington, D.C.'s waterways for years to come.