Washington, DC -- District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) General Manager George S. Hawkins made the following statement in response to yesterdays ruling in <i>Anacostia Riverkeeper, Inc. v. Jackson,</i> regarding total maximum daily loads for suspended solids in the Anacostia River.

"DC Water shares the goal of everyone on both sides of this lawsuit – the goal of a cleaner, healthier Anacostia River. This case was not about the why, but in fact about the how and when of improving the river’s health. It revolved around several technical arguments for how best to assess the health of a water body.

"Our agency is already in the midst of spending more than a billion dollars to nearly eliminate overflows into the Anacostia during heavy rains. We also spend half a million dollars annually skimming trash from the Districts waterways. No single institution will ever do more for the quality of water in the Anacostia.

"We do not question challenges raised by advocates about appropriate cleanup standards. At the same time, we feel obliged on behalf of our customers – many of whom are of fixed or low income – to make sure our expenditures are thoughtful and efficient. DC Water is a government utility. The overwhelming majority of our funds come from the water and sewer bills our retail customers pay in the District, and from the suburban counties that use our wastewater services. These customers bear the cost of every environmental mandate.

"While we may continue to raise questions about some aspects of yesterdays ruling, it also contains many elements with which we absolutely agree. DC Water also wants to reassure the public that our commitment to the Anacostia River has not changed."