Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.

Established in 1801, Marine Barracks Washington, is the "Oldest Post of the Corps" and has been the residence of every commandant of the Marine Corps since 1806. The selection of the site for the Barracks was a matter of personal interest to President Thomas Jefferson, who rode through Washington with Lt. Col. William Ward Burrows, the second commandant of the Marine Corps, in search of a suitable location. The site now occupied was approved due to its proximity to the Washington Navy Yard and because it was within easy marching distance of the Capitol.
8th and I
"The Oldest Post of the Corps"

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

 

Mission

The mission of the installation’s Environmental Program is to protect and enhance the natural, cultural and environmental resources under the purview of Marine Barracks Washington. Marine Barracks personnel are expected to operate in accordance with the Commanding Officer’s policy on environmental management and conservation efforts.

It is Marine Corps policy to comply with all applicable environmental requirements and to protect and sustain our installation’s natural and cultural resources. This is accomplished by the use of the installation’s Environmental Management System (EMS) to guide all actions to achieve environmental compliance, sustainability and performance improvement.

 

Public Information

Below are links to environmental policies and programs in effect onboard Marine Barracks Washington:

 

Questions, Thoughts or Concerns?

MBW encourages questions, thoughts and concerns relating to environmental management efforts throughout the installation. Please direct questions to Marine Barracks Public Works Department.

 

WATER QUALITY

 

Mission

Per MCO 5090.2: Marine Corps installations in the Unites States will comply with all substantive and procedural wastewater and stormwater regulations established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or those states that have been granted primary enforcement responsibility. These requirements include federal, state, interstate, and local laws, Executive Orders, and regulations respecting the control and abatement of water pollution such as load reduction requirements resulting from the development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for impaired water bodies.

 

Stormwater

Industrial and construction activities at MBW are subject to the Clean Water Act and the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) regulations.

Construction activities onboard MBW are enforced by the contract administrators, typically supported by Naval Facilities Systems Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington and Public Works Department (PWD) Washington. Both supporting government agencies are headquartered onboard Washington Navy Yard (WNY) approximately ½ mile south of MBW Main Post. Construction activities are reviewed and designed to limit erosion and sedimentation throughout the design and construction process.

Stormwater at MBW is managed by a system of Best Management Practices (BMP) which convey stormwater to various ponds or other structures that remove sediment and other pollutants before discharging to the city’s combined sewer-stormwater drainage system.

Any personnel assigned to, visiting or nearby MBW who observes any potential issues with stormwater are encouraged to contact our Facility Operations Specialists for review and action.

 

Drinking Water

Drinking water at MBW is supplied by “DC Water” or formally known as the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority. DC Water is headquartered in Washington, DC and provides potable water to over 672,000 residents and 17.8 million visitors annually in Washington, DC, Arlington County and the city of Falls Church, Virginia.

Potable water provided to MBW is treated at the Dalecarlia Water Treatment Plant. At the treatment facility, water is drawn from the Potomac River and flows through screen to remove large particles, after which it enters a pre-sedimentation basin to allow sand and silt particles to settle out. Aluminum Sulfate (alum) is then mixed into the raw water to act as a coagulant and then stirred for approximately 25 minutes to create a floc. The water then flows into a sedimentation basin in which about 85% of the suspended materials settle out. The water then passes through anthracite gravity filters and disinfected with chloramines before entering the distribution system as potable water. In addition to the alum and chloramines, additional chemicals are added to the water to improve the water quality, including fluoride to prevent tooth decay, orthophosphate to help prevent corrosion in the pipes, and activated carbon to improve the taste and odor of the water.

The Army Corps of Engineers’ Washington Aqueduct owns and operates the Dalecarlia Water Treatment Plant and sells the treated water to DC Water. DC Water owns and operates the water distribution system that conveys potable water from the Washington Aqueduct to all of Washington, DC, including MBW, as well as connections to additional distribution systems in Virginia.

 

Water Quality Reports

Annually, DC Water produces water quality reports which are posted for public viewing on their website:

MBW encourages our Marines, Sailors, Civilian Marines & residents to review the water quality reports. These reports typically include: water source information, treatment information, environmental protection standards and efforts, lead abatement efforts, quality testing information and results.

 

Questions, Thoughts or Concerns?

MBW encourages questions, thoughts and concerns relating to potable water distribution outside of MBW property to be directed to DC Water. Contact information is provided in the annual water quality reports and is also available on the DC Water website.

Concerns related to water distribution within MBW facilities can be shared with MBW’s Public Works Department.