Protecting Our Water and Sewer Infrastructure: Developing Horizontal and Vertical Clearance Mitigation Tables

DC Water’s interagency planning and design teams coordinate and review various design projects routinely to ensure there are no proposed conflicts with our existing infrastructure. As utility corridors become more congested due to continuous development, the request for design waivers has increased significantly. The interagency planning and design teams worked together to develop a set of mitigation tables that address some common horizontal and vertical clearance issues between our water and sewer infrastructure and other utilities and structures. The outcome of this collaboration is transparent guidelines that reduce review times. Moreover, designers have clear guidance, which makes the design process more efficient by removing unknowns and reducing meetings. As a result of these tables, the teams have realized the mitigation tables are just a starting point and will not address every situation the designers or reviewers will encounter. Continuous table development and efficiencies of the design review process will continue.