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Dear Neighbors,
Things are warming up, sort of...
This week DC ushered in the first signs of spring with temperatures hitting 70 degrees and above for the better portion of the week. However, as I write this a second – if not third – winter has arrived. While it may be cool now, warm weather will soon be here to stay.
If you haven’t seen the videos chronicling my early morning strolls and the heaps of trash I’ve encountered along the way, you can find them, here. On my walks, I’ve found that many of our community trash cans are constantly overflowing due to lack of frequent service and illegal dumping, leaving our trash containers unusable and ripe for rodent infestation. Which agency is responsible is a bit of matrix. If located in a public space, service is handled by the Department of Public Works (DPW). If located on recreation grounds, it’s the Department of General Services (DGS). And if it's on DCPS property, then it should be serviced by that school’s janitorial team. During a performance oversight hearing for DPW and later for DGS, I questioned this sometimes confusing web of responsibility, the lack of recent audits on service frequency, and also asked what it would take to install new trash receptacles that would dissuade illegal dumping and prevent the current rodent buffets.
Modernizing our trash cans won’t put a lid on these problems, but it would take a bite out of them. Currently, the majority of District receptacles do not prevent rodent access and do encourage illegal dumping. With the intention of being solution oriented, next week, I will be introducing legislation that would not only begin the systematic rollout of modern public trash cans throughout the District, but would fold in the cost of replacement as public capital projects occur. If we are doing significant capital updates to public schools, parks, recreation centers, curbs and sidewalks, we should go ahead and replace the trash cans too. These new cans would also be an easier lift for the District’s waste management team. You can view examples below that are currently deployed in Georgetown. Don’t get me started on the costs listed – apparently, municipal waste receptacle manufacturing is quite the lucrative business.
Warmer weather draws people out and about, as well their food and litter, which activates more rodent activity. If you'd like to join in effectively combating the District’s rodent issue, here are some ways you can help:
You can find more tips on how to protect your residence from rodents, here. The most effective way to decrease the rodent population is to eliminate their food source, which should be helped by the modernization of our District’s trash cans.
As the weather gets better, people will be out and so will their trash. Keeping our outside spaces clean protects not only the beauty of our community but the health of our residents.
In Service,
Christina Henderson
Councilmember, At-Large
ChristinaHendersonDC.com
DC Water crews continue to work on the rehabilitation and repair of the Potomac Interceptor. The Potomac Interceptor is the sewer line that carries 60 million gallons of wastewater daily from Virgina and Maryland to the Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant.
On Wednesday, March 12, DC Water released an update on their progress to meet the mid-March target of returning the flow to the Potomac Interceptor. The break site of the pipe has been cured and reinforced, ensuring its structural integrity and readying it for flow to return. Additional work is still needed to seal the excavation sites and the next phase of rehabilitation, which will restore the pipe to like-new condition.
Environmental rehabilitation work continues with DC Water and its contractor working in the west section of the collapse site and drainage channel (Area 1), with the Environmental Protection Agency working on the east section. The US Army Corp of Engineers is assisting DC water with rehabilitation work around the Rock Run Culvert and stream (Area 2). Work along the Potomac River and shoreline (Area 3) has not yet begun and needs the river flow to lower for the area to be assessed.
Stay tuned for more updates and follow DC Water’s dedicated page here.
On Wednesday, March 4, the Committee on Health held a performance oversight hearing on the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority (DCHBX). Government witnesses included Executive Director of the DCHBX, Mila Kofman, and their leadership team. Much of the hearing focused on the implementation of the new Healthy DC plan, which transitioned nearly 16,000 people from their previous coverage plans. Testimony from public witnesses ranged from some highlighting a smooth transition to the Healthy DC plan, to the expansion of the Healthcare4Childcare program (with notable coverage growth in Wards 7 and 8), and the loss of coverage for some residents during the past year.
On Monday, March 9, during a regular meeting, the Committee on Health voted to advance the Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach Amendment Act of 2025, legislation introduced by Councilmember Brianne Nadeau to strengthen targeted outreach to individuals experiencing substance use disorder in areas of high need across the District. The bill codifies the District’s targeted outreach pilot program into permanent law and establishes a Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach Program within the Department of Behavioral Health. Through grants to experienced community-based organizations, outreach teams will engage individuals directly, provide harm reduction support, and help connect residents to treatment, housing, and other services. Pilot sites are currently operational in Wards 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
During this same meeting, the Committee also approved the reappointment of Dr. Leighton Ku to the Executive Board of the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority. Dr. Ku has served on the Board since its founding in 2012 and brings more than two decades of experience in health policy and health services research.
Both measures were approved by the Committee and will now move forward for consideration by the full Council.
You can find the upcoming schedule for the Committee on Health below. You can sign up to testify, here.
On Wednesday, March 4, the Committee on Public Works and Operations held a performance oversight hearing on the Department of Public Works (DPW). Councilmember Henderson attended the hearing and questioned DPW Interim Director Anthony Crispino and his leadership team on the District’s trash issues.
Councilmember Henderson’s office is currently developing a bill aimed at folding in the cost of replacing existing public trash and recycling containers with front loading, secure, rodent-resistant receptacles at project sites that are being modernized. When asked how much these types of trash cans would cost, Crispino quoted $12,000-$15,000 to replace three cans at a small public park.
On Wednesday, March 4, the Committee of the Whole held a performance oversight hearing on the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) with State Superintendent Dr. Antoinette Mitchell. At the hearing, Councilmember Henderson followed up on the progress of the Advanced Technical Center (ATC). The Ward 8 ATC, which opened this school year and is co-located with Whitman-Walker Health, offers a comprehensive health clinic, a dentist’s office, a phlebotomy lab, a pharmacy, and behavioral health resources and has been notably successful. It is located just two blocks from the new Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center. All available seats for the program are currently filled with 300 students on the waitlist. Dr. Mitchell committed to continue expanding access to this program by creating 700 spots available across both ATCs over the next four years.
Councilmember Henderson also discussed the District’s sexual health programing and noted that students are only required to take a half-credit of health instruction to satisfy the graduation requirement. Many families expressed discontent with the lack of structured and standards-based sexual education instruction. Dr. Mitchell also testified that OSSE has paused the Health and Physical Education Assessment which helps local education agencies monitor students’ understanding of the sexual health curriculum. A need for more robust programming that addresses these topics was recognized, along with a commitment to follow up to ensure that students are equipped with accurate and appropriate information.
On Thursday, March 5, the Committee on Facilities held a performance oversight hearing for the Department of General Services (DGS) and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). Councilmember Henderson attended the hearing, and during the DPR portion, she addressed the gap in recreational offerings for older teens, inquired about the agency’s plans to maintain land transferred to the District from the National Park Service, and also asked about the Junior Lifeguard Academy.
During the DGS portion of the hearing, Councilmember Henderson requested an update from Director Delano Hunter on the required annual survey of facility condition assessments for spray parks, artificial turf fields, playgrounds, and courts such as tennis, pickleball, basketball, and other hard-surface courts. Councilmember Henderson also inquired about the division of labor regarding maintenance issues at Saint Elizabeths Hospital, the agency’s plans to counter the surge in the city’s electricity costs and whether that plan includes occupancy-sensor lighting, and the agency’s performance in executing timely trash pickups for government buildings.
Battle of the Wipes
On Monday, March 2, Councilmember Henderson debuted part two of her “Battle of the Wipes” experiment. The experiment aimed to show just how little “flushable” wipes break down in the sewer system. Part one of the experiment was filmed on Wednesday, February 25, and the second video was filmed 24 hours later and shows the difference between conventional toilet paper, which is completely broken down, and the “flushable” wipe that stayed intact. At the posting of part two of the “Battle of the Wipe” experiment five days later, the flushable wipe was still found intact. In conjunction with the video, Councilmember Henderson introduced the Consumer Levies on Obstructive Garbage (CLOG) Amendment Act of 2026 aimed to create more incentives for use of environmentally friendly personal hygiene alternatives.
Hear the Crunch
On Tuesday, March 3, Councilmember Henderson participated in DC Hunger Solutions annual “Hear the Crunch” awareness campaign during National School Breakfast Week. The campaign aims to highlight the important role that nutritious school breakfast plays in helping students start their days ready to learn, grow, and succeed.
CLOG with FOX5
The next day, on Wednesday, March 4, Councilmember Henderson joined Fox5 for an interview on the Consumer Levies on Obstructive Garbage (CLOG) Amendment Act of 2026. The bill was introduced in response to the blockage of “flushable” wipes that clogged a section of the Potomac Interceptor and contributed to sewage overflow. You can watch the full segment, here.
Speaking at GWU
Later that day, Councilmember Henderson spoke to a George Washington University health policy class about her path to elected office and what she deemed to be the most critical skills policymakers must master to promote health equity and affect health outcomes.
The Politics Hour
To conclude the week, on Friday, March 6, Councilmember Henderson joined WAMU’s The Politics Hour with hosts Kojo Nnamdi and Tom Sherwood to discuss hot topics in the District. Conversation included updates on Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center, when residents should file their taxes, and repairs to the Potomac Interceptor break. You can listen to the episode, here.
Sidewalk Palooza
Sidewalk Palooza is your chance to advocate for pedestrian safety and accessibility. Join us in your neighborhood to highlight broken sidewalks, missing crosswalks, and other issues that impact our daily lives and accessibility for all.
How You Can Participate:
Trivia and Trailblazers
Join the Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives for Trivia & Trailblazers: Women’s HerStory Social Hour, a Women’s History Month celebration hosted by the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, the Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives, and DC Health. Participate in an evening of community, networking, and Women’s History trivia—along with wellness checks provided in partnership with Whitman-Walker Health. The even takes place on Thursday, March 26 at 6:00pm at Her Diner (2004 18th St NW).
You can register, here.
2026 Congressional Art Competition
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton invites D.C. high school students to participate in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. This national competition is open to high school students from across the country to submit their artwork for a chance to win first place in their Congressional District. All of the first-place artwork from each Congressional District will be exhibited in the halls of the U.S. Capitol for one year. Students who would like to participate must submit in person their artwork with the form below to. The competition deadline is Friday, March 27, 2026. You can find more participation guidelines, here.
Healthy Homes Fair
The Healthy Homes Fair, hosted by Electrify DC, returns Saturday, March 21, from 1:00pm to 5:00pm at Catholic University (620 Michigan Ave, NE). This free, family-friendly expo helps DC-area residents learn how to make their homes healthier, more resilient, and more affordable to power. The fair features over 70 exhibitors showcasing state-of-the-art technology, a mini-EV auto show, and test drives, hands-on workshops, family-friendly activities like e-bike rides and a bouncy castle, solar-powered food trucks and giveaways worth thousands.
You can register for the event, here.
Have a constituent service need related to the Health Committee or any of the other agencies in DC Government? Want Councilmember Henderson to come to your community event or meeting? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Constituent Services Director Ana Berrios-Vazquez during regular business hours (9:00am - 5:30pm) at 202-724-8105, or ABerriosVazquez@dccouncil.gov.
You can visit us online at christinahendersondc.com. Or stay connected by following Councilmember Christina Henderson on her socials.
Website: christinahendersondc.com
Twitter (X): @CMCHenderson
Instagram: @christinahendersondc
Facebook: @christinahendersondc
Bluesky: @cmchenderson.bsky.social