Water Concerns? List Of Neighborhoods Needing Special Attention

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- A preliminary report from Mayor Adrian Fenty's office about the fire two weeks ago on Chain Bridge Road mentioned 34 locations identified by the DC Water & Sewer Authority (WASA) and the DC Fire & EMS Department where special attention was needed because of water issues. 9NEWS NOW has obtained that list. At the same time the fire department says WASA should upgrade its standards for supplying water to fight fires.

DC Fire & EMS Department spokesman Pete Piringer says a neighborhood or location can be on the list because of a variety of issues including small water mains, hydrant configuration, topography, access, and the possibility of private hydrants not regulated by WASA.

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 if your neighborhood or building is on the list there is no need to panic. He says the fire department has put plans in place to make sure there is an adequate water supply to fight fires. In fact, at a small number of locations on the list, like 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 mentioned that areas around The White House complex have some of the city's smaller water mains.

Spokesman Piringer says the department is also making recommendations that WASA upgrade the standard it uses to determine proper water flow for an area. This is an issue that surfaced at the July 29 Chain Bridge Road fire where WASA technically met its standard of supplying 1000 gallons-per-minute (gpm) within 1000 feet of a structure. But the 1000 feet was a straight line through someone else's yard to another street.

Piringer says there is no national standard, but the fire department would like to see the standard changed to a 500 foot driving distance for a fire engine. The department also wants the minimum flow to be 1500 gpm for low hazard locations and up to 2500 gpm for high hazard locations such as hospitals and other institutions.

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