The wastewater agency for nearly 2 million people in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties woefully missed benchmarks for repairing its aging sewer system, according to an analysis from the organization’s leader.
In a letter obtained by The Washington Examiner, Jerry Johnson, general manager of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, said the agency completed just 42 percent of planned sewer-main upgrades last fiscal year — a $56.8 million effort.
During the period, WSSC managed to renovate just 19.4 miles of sewer mains, “far short of the goal of 46 miles,” Johnson wrote, citing cost overruns, underperforming contractors and unrealistic projections for the work done under the watch of one of the nation’s largest water and sewer system providers.
And the letter shows the agency committed to projects without knowing the actual price tag or how long jobs would take.
“At the beginning of the construction phase, there is a good amount we do not know when it comes to details in the field,” Johnson wrote. “It causes problems with accurate expectations as to contract cost. It also makes it difficult to truly know how long the job should take. The solution is to spend more time determining the need before moving into construction.”
Johnson was chosen for the post in June 2009.
The agency raised water and sewer rates 8.5 percent, or $55 on average this year, which WSSC repeatedly said would help modernize the aging water-delivery network. Nearly a quarter of all WSSC pipes are at least a half-century old, according to the most recent data.
Some called the newest revelation just another in a long history of failures by WSSC.
“[WSSC] has struggled with just being a competent agency in the past,” said Councilman Marc Elrich, D-at large. “They don’t have a very good history. Nothing bad with them surprises me anymore.”
Johnson attributed the shortcoming to contractors, writing they “have not always worked efficiently, and they often promise more than they deliver.”
This year’s capital budget calls for 42 miles of sewer main repairs, but Johnson is already downplaying that figure. A more realistic goal, he says in the letter, is 25 miles.
Those responsible for funding the agency say they are concerned with the findings.
“That’s not something we have discussed with them in any detail,” said Montgomery Council President Nancy Floreen, of the new report. “There have been issues [with repairs] in the past. Obviously, it’s a problem.”
