(Washington, DC) The most recent Clean City Ratings, a representative survey measuring the District's level of cleanliness for the spring quarter of fiscal year 2003, shows a steady advance over the two previous years and a decrease in areas considered dirty or hazardous.

Overall, 89 percent of the gateways, commercial and residential areas included in the survey were rated clean or moderately clean. Most dramatic is the improvement found on streets in the District's industrial areas, historically very dirty. In 2001, only 25 percent of streets in industrial areas were rated 1 (clean) or 2 (moderately clean). In spring of 2003, over 70 percent of those streets are rated 1 or 2.

In FY 2003, 96 percent of streets in residential areas, and 100 percent of major corridors were rated clean or moderately clean - a significant jump from the 63 percent clean rating each achieved in 2000. Residential alleys also improved, at a slower pace, from 63 percent clean or moderately clean in 2000 to 82 percent in 2003.

DPW's Street and Alley Cleaning Division provides 24-hour services. During the day, employees are sweeping and cleaning neighborhoods as well as high visibility commercial areas like Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill and Benning Road. At night, crews collect trash from the city's 2500 litter cans and sweep the downtown core.

"The Cleanliness Ratings are the ultimate performance measure for the work of the Street & Alley Cleaning Division. This data helps us work smart by allowing us to see where we should be focusing our resources to best meet the need throughout the city, said DPW Director, Leslie Hotaling".

Citywide Clean City Ratings are conducted quarterly by citizen survey teams using a defined set of standards, based on the Keep America Beautiful Environmental Rating Scale. Before going into the field to begin their assessments, rating team members are trained by the Office of the Clean City Coordinator. Each rating team consists of a staff representative from the appropriate Council member's office, two community leaders, and a participant from the Street and Alley Cleaning Division of DPW.

The process consists of assessing the level of cleanliness - lack of litter, debris and overgrowth - observed within the Wards on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being the best rating and 4 indicating hazardous conditions, such as broken glass and large amounts of debris. The spring survey results show less than two percent of residential streets and alleys rated 4.