neighborhood news
Our River: The Anacostia With RiverSmart Homes You Can Help the Anacostia by Bill Matuszeski
W
e all know that part of the pollution in our river, the Anacostia, comes from runoff and overflow of storm water and that all homeowners are contributors. But what we don’t all know is that an effective and active program pays homeowners a large part of the cost of reducing or eliminating the pollutants and
A Benning Ridge home’s rain barrel. Photo: Bill Matuszeski
20
E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m
the volume of the runoff from their property, and getting other benefits in return. Let’s take a look at what RiverSmart Homes can offer. It is a program of the DC Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) carried out under contract with the nonprofit Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. The DOEE and the alliance recently gave a tour of RiverSmart projects in the Benning Ridge neighborhood of Anacostia, bordered by C and D streets SE Rain garden, permeable pavers and a rain barrel. Photo: Bill Matuszeski and Texas Avenue. Project representatives and enthusiasThe visible results are beautiful yards everytic homeowners shared their experiences where you look! Less immediately visible results with the program. The owners have beauare the benefits to our river and the streams leadtified their properties, are saving on utility ing into it, paid for in part by generous homeownbills and have improved on the use of rainers who have dedicated funds and hard work to water and drainage controls. The benefits to the Anacostia. the District and the Anacostia are improved Some of the most enthusiastic expressions for water quality, reduced levels of herbicides, progress came from staff of the Alliance for the pesticides and fertilizers, and more stable Chesapeake Bay who were on the tour. Projects Assoils to prevent erosion. sociate Amanda Bland pointed out, “After so many How is this funded, and how much of it ‘virtual’ events over the past year, it is wonderful to does the homeowner pay? In most cases, a be with residents in their own community talking homeowner’s co-payment covers the costs about solutions to stormwater issues.” that are providing clear benefits for them. Her colleague Carly Starobin added, “I like For example, rain barrels carry a one-time working in the Anacostia – people here have a strong charge of $50-70. They capture roof runconnection to the river.” off and make it available for watering plants, So, what are the next steps to creating a RiverSwashing the car or whatever, thus saving on mart Home on your property? the bill from DC Water. The homeowner First, make an application online at www.doee. also pays $100 per 50 square feet of rain dc.gov/get-riversmart or by phone to the DOEE at gardens or 120 square feet of bayscaping. 202-535-2600. After you submit the completed apThere is no owner charge for shade trees, plication, you will join the waitlist for a site audit. and only $10 per square foot for replaceThe audit examines ground slope, roof size, paved ment of impermeable surfaces with permeareas, existing gardens, shade and the like as the baable pavers, and $5 per square foot to resis for deciding which projects are most appropriate place them with vegetation.
