celebrating Arlington County's environmental services

Arlington's outstanding Department of Environment Services (DES) does an enormous amount of work.  DES's Solid Waste Bureau currently sits atop the rankings for interacting with Arlington residents.  The Solid Waste Bureau currently interacts 4.2 million times per year with Arlington residents, compared to 2.1 and 2.0 million for the ART bus and Arlington libraries, respectively.  Recycling helps to lessen the amount of wastes.  But some wastes are just a natural human function, and their elimination tends to be taken for granted.  But have no doubt, without DES's careful maintenance of sewer infrastructure, life would stink in Arlington.

DES is about more than waste.  DES brings you fresh, clean water through 526 miles of water pipes.  Moreover, DES played a key role in capping the Deep Soil Rosslyn Water Spill and stopping another water main break that threatened service at a key local institution.

DES also maintains traffic signals, road signs, and road markings.  Just imagine, there are more than 100,000 traffic signs in Arlington!

Residents in the Ft. Myer Heights neighborhood are still waiting for repair of some annoying potholes on N. Ft. Myer Dr.  But given the scope of work that DES faces, those potholes really are relatively unimportant.