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EPA Headquarters Low Impact Development Demonstration Projects – Garage Cisterns at EPA West Building
In This Section
Click on photo for larger image.
Location: The EPA West Building is on the corner of Constitution Avenue, NW and 14th Street, NW in Washington, DC.
Address: EPA West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004 
Diagram of garage cisterns at EPA West. Click on graphic for larger image.
Some of the six 1,000-gallon cisterns at EPA West, and the signs explaining them.
Download a PDF of the signs displayed near the cisterns explaining the project (PDF) (2 pp., 741K)
Specifications:
- Cisterns: Six 1,000-gallon cisterns each measuring 6 feet in diameter.
- EPA West building irrigation requirements: 7,500 gallons satisfy the irrigation requirements for a week during summer months. Additional needs are supplemented with potable water.
Objective:
The landscaping at the EPA West Building, Constitution Avenue entrance serves as an exhibit area to demonstrate several innovative features, including water conservation and planting techniques using low-maintenance and sustainable materials.
Description:
The EPA West garage cisterns are designed to capture runoff from the approximately 10,000 square feet of roofing at the Federal Triangle Complex. Stormwater is intercepted from downspouts and diverted to cisterns installed in the West building parking garage. There are six 6-foot diameter cisterns installed in a row that provide a reservoir of water for the EPA West irrigation system. The last tank includes an energy-efficient pump that is used to supply irrigation water to the landscaped areas. The six cisterns hold enough water to irrigate the landscaped areas for up to 1 ½ weeks. The project was completed in summer 2008.
LID Components:
- Stormwater from the EPA West roof is collected and reused for landscape irrigation at the Constitution Avenue entrance rather than being discharged into the city’s combined sewer system.
Benefits:
- There is a reduction in runoff volume that would otherwise be discharged into the combined sewer system.
- The cisterns provide on-site storage prior to stormwater reuse.
- Reusing stormwater for irrigation saves valuable environmental resources and building operating costs by decreasing the use of potable water.