The nation's capital, built on water, struggles to keep from drowning

This is a nitpick, but I learned something.

I've always thought "Capital" referred to assets, whereas "Capitol" referred to government. And it irked me that the headline used the wrong version, as I thought D.C. was the nation's "Capitol".

Turns out, I was wrong. "Capital" is correct to refer to D.C., whereas "Capitol" is correct to refer to the building that houses the legislative body, but not to the body or event the city itself.

This doesn't happen just down on the coastal plain. There are plenty of aquifers on the piedmont that were open streams until someone filled them in. Walk around the neighborhoods and you can spot houses that are leaning or have been jacked up, and other telltale signs.

Without paywall:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-nation-s-capital-built...