FEMA Celebrates Disaster Resilience Month with Visit to DC Water Plant to Highlight Floodwall Project

PHILADELPHIA – FEMA Officials Tour DC Water’s Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Senior Officials, Victoria Salinas and Janice Barlow, recently visited DC Water’s Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant as part of the celebration of Disaster Resilience Month in August. The purpose of the tour was to showcase the innovative efforts of the District of Columbia and DC Water in reducing flood risk.

Overview of the Tour

Accompanied by officials from DC’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), the FEMA leaders were provided with an overview of DC Water’s emergency management program and their ongoing work in mitigating hazards. The Blue Plains facility, located at the southern tip of the District along the Potomac River, is the largest advanced wastewater treatment plant in the world, serving over 2.5 million people in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Due to its location, the facility has experienced flooding in the past as a result of hurricanes and storms.

FEMA Funding for Flood Mitigation

Over the past seven years, DC Water has successfully applied for and received various types of FEMA funding to develop, plan, and construct a floodwall around the Blue Plains facility. Currently, one section of the floodwall has been completed, with three more sections planned using FEMA funding. Once all sections are finished, the floodwall will protect the plant from a 500-year flood event, ensuring the safety and continuous operation of critical infrastructure.

Importance of Sustainable Development Goals

“Reducing risk to critical infrastructure is a high priority for FEMA,” stated Victoria Salinas, FEMA Senior Official Performing Duties of Deputy Administrator of Resilience. “DC Water’s Blue Plains facility tour illustrated how FEMA funding is being used to reduce risk from future flooding, and a commitment to building resilience in Washington DC, Virginia, and Maryland. With these investments and a planned micro-grid, this wastewater system that serves over 2 million residents will remain operational during extreme events. This utility will now be protected from the devastating effects of climate-related storm surge and sea level rise for years to come.”

FEMA’s Investment in the Project

Once FEMA awards the latest grant funds, the agency will have invested more than $22.7 million in this project through the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) programs.

Recognition of DC Water’s Efforts

“DC Water is a great example of how a utility, community, or municipality can leverage the many different types of FEMA funding available to fund not only the construction of a project but also the planning and scoping phases,” said FEMA Region 3 Deputy Regional Administrator Janice Barlow. “It was exciting to see firsthand the work DC Water is doing to protect critical infrastructure that affects many residents throughout Region 3.”

FEMA’s Focus on Mitigation Efforts

During the month of August, FEMA is highlighting successful mitigation efforts across the country to raise awareness of ways communities are becoming more climate resilient. To learn more about these efforts, visit here.

About the Authors

Victoria Salinas is the Senior Official Performing Duties of Deputy Administrator for Resilience at FEMA, and Janice Barlow is the Deputy Regional Administrator for FEMA Region 3.

About FEMA

FEMA’s mission is to help people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The article discusses the efforts of DC Water and FEMA to reduce flood risk and protect critical infrastructure. This aligns with SDG 11, which focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. It also connects to SDG 13, which aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Additionally, the article mentions the innovative work being done by DC Water, highlighting SDG 9, which promotes the development of resilient infrastructure and the facilitation of sustainable industrialization.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
• Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.

The article emphasizes the efforts to reduce flood risk and protect critical infrastructure, which align with Target 11.5 under SDG 11. It also mentions the need to mitigate hazards and protect the wastewater treatment plant from climate-related storm surge and sea level rise, which relates to Target 13.1 under SDG 13. Additionally, the article highlights the development of resilient infrastructure, which corresponds to Target 9.1 under SDG 9.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 11.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
• Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
• Indicator 9.1.1: Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road.

The article does not explicitly mention any indicators. However, based on the targets identified, relevant indicators can be used to measure progress. Indicator 11.5.1 and Indicator 13.1.1 can be used to assess the number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters, which would reflect progress towards Target 11.5 and Target 13.1. Indicator 9.1.1 can be used to measure the proportion of the population living within a certain distance from all-season roads, which would indicate progress towards Target 9.1.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

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Source: einnews.com

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