We switched to biodiesel and
have never looked back
Timothy Fitzgerald
Director Fleet Management, DC Water
“I’m glad to see biodiesel is
finally getting the respect it
deserves. It just makes sense.
We switched to biodiesel and
have never looked back. It
can be used in existing diesel engines,
reduces emissions, and our drivers notice
a big difference in fumes.”
That is the sentiment of
Timothy Fitzgerald, Director
of Fleets,DC Water, the
water and sewer authority
for the nation’s capital.
More than 672,000
residents, 17.8 million
annual visitors, and
700,000 people who are
employed in the District
of Columbia count on DC
Water. The agency maintains
infrastructure above and
below ground.
Fitzgerald has worked
to make biodiesel an
important part of DC
Water’s environmental
stewardship, and he believes
the fuel has a great future
that includes applications
of pure biodiesel. “Let’s
forge ahead with it and move it into the
next millennium, but let’s involve the
kids, then we’ll have a gift that keeps on
giving,” he said.
DC Water uses biodiesel blends in
about 75 vehicles as well as stationary
equipment such as generators,
compressors and cement mixers.
Fitzgerald and his colleagues
have taken their transition
from diesel to biodiesel very
seriously.
Most engines made the
transition seamlessly. They
have also reached out to
engine manufacturers to make sure
that they choose engines that support
biodiesel and that they heed the OEMs’
recommendations. Along the way,
DC Water and other agencies have
influenced OEMs to accommodate their
preference for cleaner fuels, according to
Fitzgerald.
“There used to be a fear (around
biodiesel usage),” said Fitzgerald. “You
know, I’m not going to put my job on the
line and take this $300,000 or $400,000
piece of equipment and introduce a
unproven fuel to it. But now we are at
the point where the OEMs are taking off
with the cleaner fuels. They have listened
to us.”
With blends from B5 to B20 in use,
DC Water avoided using nearly 15,000
gallons of petroleum diesel during one
recent 12-month span. Protecting the
environment is part of the culture at
DC Water. “We’re an environmentally
friendly agency,” Fitzgerald said. “We
make sure we are conscious about
what we’re using and how, in terms of
choosing cleaner fuels and making better
use of fuels.”
The agency’s current CEO and his
predecessor are thought leaders,
according the Fleet Director. “They have
put an emphasis on this, making sure we
are driving in the right direction in terms
environmental leadership. We want to be
more than a government authority. We
are a conscious authority, and we want to
be a formidable force for the betterment
of our citizens and our children. We’re
Fleet
160°C flash pioint of
biodiesel
Ron Flowers, Executive Director at Greater Washington Region Clean Cities
Coalition with Timothy Fitzgerald
36 Biodiesel Success Stories