Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., DC water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Washington, D.C. is a major U.S. city and the largest in District of Columbia, home to roughly 601,723 residents. Washington, D.C.'s drinking water comes largely from the same regional sources that serve District of Columbia: Potomac River.
As elsewhere in District of Columbia, the central challenge is aging infrastructure. A single Potomac-fed system with major combined-sewer and stormwater tunnel investments underway.
District of Columbia reuses an estimated 5% of its treated wastewater and maintains developing reuse programs; Washington, D.C. tracks moderate to severe drought conditions on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale.
Explore the District of Columbia profile for statewide context, or dig into the water issues shaping Washington, D.C. below.
At a glance
- Population ~601,723 (largest in District of Columbia)
- Primary sources: Potomac River
- Drought: moderate to severe conditions
- State reuse rate: ~5% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of District of Columbia in severe+ drought (Severe (D2) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Washington, D.C.?
Washington, D.C. is served by community water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Statewide, 58.3% of District of Columbia's systems have a recent health-based violation. Check your provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report for local results.
Where does Washington, D.C. get its water?
Washington, D.C. draws from the same regional sources that serve District of Columbia: Potomac River.
Related water issues
Aging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExploreStormwater Capture
Cities are reengineering streets and parks to capture rain that once ran to the sea, recharging aquifers and reducing flooding at the same time.
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