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The DC Fire & EMS Department is asking the DC Water & Sewer Authority to upgrade the standard it uses to determine proper water flow for an area. It is an issue that surfaced at the July 29 fire that destroyed the mansion owned by former DC school board president Peggy Cooper Cafritz. At the home on Chain Bridge Road WASA technically met its standard of supplying 1000 gpm within 1000 feet of a structure. But that 1000 feet was a straight line through someone else's yard to another street.

DC Fire & EMS Department spokesman Pete Piringer says there is no national standard, but the fire department would like to see WASA make the distance 500 feet, accessible by a fire engine. The department also wants the minimum flow to be 1500 gpm for low hazard locations, 2000 gpm for medium hazards and up to 2500 for high hazard locations.

A preliminary report from Mayor Adrian Fenty's office about the fire mentioned 34 locations identified byWASA and the fire department where special attention was needed because of water issues. STATter911.com has obtained that list.

Spokesman Piringer says a neighborhood or location can be on that list because of a variety of issues including small water mains, hydrant configuration, topography, access, and the possibility that their are private hydrants not under WASA's control.

The list includes neighborhoods in all quadrants of the city with the exception of Southwest. It also includes institutions such as Georgetown University and Catholic University.

Piringer says the fire department has put plans in place to make sure there is an adequate water supply to fight fires. At a small number of locations on the list, including Mayfair Parkside in Northeast, the problem has been corrected by WASA's construction of a new water main.

The department left two of the locations off the list for security reasons. But two years ago fire officials said publicly that areas around The White House complex have some of the city's smaller water mains. It is unclear if The White House is one of the locations left off the list.

Here are the locations needing special attention:

-- Mayfair Parkside, NE
-- Poplar Point Pumping Station, SE
-- Fort Station Reservoirs, SE
-- Williamsburg Lane, NW
-- Adams Morgan North of Columbia Rd, NW
-- Taylor Street, NE
-- Randle Circle, SE
-- Queens Chapel/ South Dakota, NE
-- International Drive, NW
-- East Portion of Saint Elizabeth Campus, SE
-- Howard University Law School, NW
-- FEMS Training Facility, SE
-- Mount Pleasant Area (North)
-- Mount Pleasant Area (South)
-- East and West Potomac Park
-- National Zoo
-- Metrobus Bladensburg Division
-- Georgetown University
-- George Washington University, Mount Vernon Campus
-- Galluadet University
-- Edmund Burke School
-- Hillwood Museum
-- Levine School of Music
-- Washington International School
-- Maret School
-- Catholic University
-- Trinity College
-- 1300 Block of Upshur Street, NW
-- Wyoming Ave & 23rd St, NW
-- 39TH & T St, NW
-- 29TH & P St, NW
-- Massachusetts Ave, Between Dupont Circle and Sheridan Circle, NW
-- 2600 Block of Myrtle Ave, NE

# posted by Dave Statter @ 11:00 PM