DC Water Nears Containment of Massive Sewage Spill into Potomac River Following Pipe Collapse
DC Water is nearing completion of containment efforts for a significant sewage spill into the Potomac River, caused by the collapse of a six-foot-diameter pipe that released an estimated 40 million gallons of untreated wastewater daily. Crews have installed six bypass pumps to reroute the wastewater, while testing revealed E. coli levels near the spill were over 12,000 times higher than safe limits for human contact. However, DC Water confirmed that drinking water remains unaffected, as intake points were closed and sourced from upstream areas.
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DC Water reported that containment efforts for a significant sewage spill into the Potomac River are nearing completion. The spill, caused by the January 19 collapse of a six-foot-diameter sewage pipe, released an estimated 40 million gallons of untreated wastewater daily into the river and a nearby tributary.
Crews have installed six bypass pumps along the 54-mile Potomac Interceptor line to reroute wastewater to a dry section of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. Each pump can move seven million gallons per day.
The affected pipe section is part of a nearly $10 million rehabilitation project, part of a larger $625 million upgrade funded by the District of Columbia. Testing revealed E. coli levels near the spill were over 12,000 times higher than safe limits for human contact. DC Water confirmed drinking water remains unaffected, as intake points were closed and water is sourced from upstream areas.
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