Potomac Spill Draws Federal, State Responses

By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square

(Worthy News) – A wastewater overflow tied to the collapse of a major sewer pipeline continues to prompt responses from officials in Virginia, Maryland and Washington as repair work advances along the Potomac River.

The incident involves the Potomac Interceptor, a large sewer line that carries wastewater for treatment in the Washington region. District of Columbia Water said a section of the interceptor failed earlier this year, contributing to wastewater discharges into the Potomac River and nearby drainage channels.

Utility monitoring data later indicated that a substantial volume of wastewater was released during the early stages of the failure. D.C. Water said much of the discharge occurred before bypass pumping systems were fully operational.

Crews have since expanded emergency bypass operations and installed additional pumping capacity designed to stabilize flows and prevent further overflows. Repair efforts have focused on gaining safe access to the damaged section of pipe.

In responses to questions from The Center Square, D.C. Water said emergency repairs are expected to take between four and six weeks. Officials said that work will be followed by long-term rehabilitation of the interceptor, a process projected to take approximately nine to 10 months.

Utility officials said the full scope and cost of repairs cannot yet be determined because crews have not been able to fully access the damaged portion of the interceptor. Engineers also said the cause of the failure cannot be determined until the damaged section is accessible.

D.C. Water said it will cover repair expenses, which will be shared among wholesale customers including WSSC Water, Loudoun County and Fairfax County based on allocated pipe capacity.

The Potomac River runs through Maryland, Virginia and Washington, making the overflow a regional concern. The river serves as a drinking water source and supports recreational and commercial activity across multiple jurisdictions.

In Virginia, the Department of Health issued a recreational water advisory covering portions of the Potomac shoreline. State health officials cited reported wastewater releases and ongoing repair work in advising residents to avoid direct contact with river water within the affected area.

Virginia health officials said they had not observed evidence of impacts to drinking water systems.

Federal and state officials have also commented on the incident.

Second-term Republican President Donald Trump said federal agencies were being directed to provide management and coordination support related to the overflow, describing the situation as a serious environmental concern.

Maryland first-term Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, in public statements, said the spill was “basically contained” and used the incident to call for federal approval of FEMA funding for Western Maryland communities still recovering from prior flooding.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin said the agency stands ready to assist, stating that D.C. Water and Maryland officials have been managing containment, monitoring, and regulatory oversight tied to the spill.

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