The department oversees solid waste (e.g., garbage) and recyclables collection, street cleaning, parking enforcement, and governmental vehicle procurement, maintenance and fueling.

[2] On July 9, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, which approved the creation of a national capital for the United States on the Potomac River.

[4] The city's incorporation allowed for a local municipal government consisting of a mayor appointed by the President and an elected six-member council.

The legislature also had sole authority to allow the Board of Public Works to seek loans to begin its various projects.

[12] In March 1971, President Richard Nixon supported legislation formally implementing home rule in the District of Columbia.

In April 1980, Mayor Marion Barry proposed merging these four agencies into a single Department of Public Works.

[21][22] The division began suffering from significant deficiencies in the 1990s, including an over-reliance on outside contractors, a lack of expertise with which to oversee contractors and ensure performance and quality work, severe understaffing, and excessive lead times for the letting and implementing of design and construction contracts.

[21] These issues led to significant backlogs in maintenance and construction, and hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds were unexpended.