photo by Diane Krauthamer
From the Mayor’s Office:
“The District Department of Health (DC Health) has lifted the recreational advisory for the Potomac River in Washington, DC, effective immediately. Consistent water quality testing shows bacterial levels are now within safe ranges for recreation. (more…)
From FEMA:
“FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance is available to the District of Columbia to supplement response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from a sewer line collapse from Jan. 19, 2026, and continuing.
The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
This assistance is for the District of Columbia and the area where the District of Columbia has responsibilities in the State of Maryland and Commonwealth of Virginia.
Specifically, (more…)
Update on the Potomac Interceptor Break from DC Water:
“DC Water has successfully reached the damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor, marking a critical step in the ongoing damage assessment and repair efforts. Crews today are manually digging out the affected area, carefully removing sludge, soil, and debris from the collapsed pipe. The work is slow and painstaking, as large boulders and rocks complicate the excavation process. Crews are using both manual labor and an excavator to clear obstructions, working carefully not to cause any additional damage.
A section of the sewer line collapsed on January 19, (more…)
From the Mayor’s Office:
“As the region continues responding to the Potomac Interceptor break, Mayor Muriel Bowser requested federal support through a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration request. In order to make the request, the Mayor first declared a local public emergency. In addition to seeking 100% reimbursement for costs incurred by the District and the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water), the Mayor has requested federal support in the following areas: (more…)
The latest from DC Water:
“DC Water Advances Work to Repair Damaged Section of Potomac Interceptor
Emergency repair expected to take 4-6 weeks, followed by long-term rehabilitation
February 16, 2026
DC Water crews and its contractors, working under challenging conditions over the past month, are nearing completion of an enhanced bypass system that will allow emergency repairs to begin on a damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor. The emergency repair is expected to take another 4-6 weeks once the enhanced bypass system is activated and will address the immediate repairs to the damaged section of the pipe, restore wastewater flow back into the Potomac Interceptor, eliminate the temporary bypass pumping system in the C&O Canal, and allow for environmental restoration.
Over the weekend, (more…)
From DC Water:
“February 11, 2026
Our Shared Commitment to the Potomac River
To our neighbors, community partners, and everyone who cares deeply about the Potomac River,
I want to begin by acknowledging what so many residents, environmental advocates, and river users have expressed in recent weeks: the sewer break on January 19, 2026, was deeply troubling. The Potomac River is a shared natural treasure, and any event that threatens its health understandably causes concern, frustration, and a sense of loss. Those feelings are not only valid – but they are also shared by all of us at DC Water.
I want to explain how this incident unfolded and the actions we have taken to mitigate its impacts and move forward. On the evening of Monday, January 19, 2026, security cameras detected unusual activity near one of our odor control facilities along the Clara Barton Parkway. That alert led our teams to discover a collapse in a section of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line, which resulted in an uncontrolled overflow of wastewater into the Potomac River. From that moment forward, (more…)
ICYMI: Scroll down this post for “Potomac Conservancy sent a letter to DC Water calling for accountability, answers, and actions in response to the massive Potomac Interceptor sewage spill that began on January 19, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland.”
“Pumping challenges continue at the damaged Potomac Interceptor. Two pumps clogged w/non-disposable wipes Monday night, causing an overflow & contained on-site. E. coli levels remain elevated at collapse site, downstream levels remain below EPA standards.”
The latest from DC Water:
“UPDATE: Potomac Interceptor Repair February 10
Highlights: (more…)
Just in from DDOT:
“Today, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), along with the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), announced the Neighborhood Curbside Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Pilot, an initiative designed to expand access to public EV charging in residential neighborhoods across the District. The pilot will help inform future regulatory updates and establish guidelines for a permit program allowing private vendors to install, operate, and maintain curbside EV charging stations in the District’s public right-of-way. The pilot is being deployed in partnership with EV charging company It’s Electric and is funded through a federal grant awarded to the company. (more…)
“A significant overflow occurred overnight after pump capacity dropped during a high-flow period. An earlier, smaller overflow was contained. New pumps may arrive this week to help stabilize operations. Water quality sampling continues.”
The latest from DC Water:
“UPDATE: Potomac Interceptor Collapse, February 9
Highlights (more…)
From DC Water:
“February 5, 2026
Overnight CCTV inspection of the Potomac Interceptor revealed the blockage inside the collapsed sewer line is far more significant, showing a large rock dam stretching approximately 30 feet downstream of the original failure. The unexpected discovery exposed the severity of the obstruction and prompted an immediate reassessment that will extend the timeline for cleaning and repairs.
It’s expected to take an estimated 4-6 weeks of additional time to get a system in place that will add more, larger bypass pumps in a new location and stabilize the site for heavy machinery to safely begin removing the large rocks and boulders inside the sewer line. While the existing bypass system has mostly contained overflows, more pumps are needed to further reduce the remaining flow getting through the pipe. A bulkhead will then be installed upstream of the failure to block the pipe and limit the wastewater reaching the collapse site.
A section of the sewer line collapsed January 19, along Clara Barton Parkway and the 495 interchange and the C & O Canal National Historical Park, causing an estimated 40 million gallons a day of wastewater to escape and enter the Potomac River. (more…)