DC Water finishes emergency repairs to stop historic sewage leak in Potomac River

WASHINGTON (7News) — DC Water crews finished emergency repairs Saturday to stop a massive sewage leak into the Potomac River, nearly two months after a major sewer line collapse triggered environmental concerns across the region.

Contractors began testing earlier in the day and restored wastewater flow to the 54-mile Potomac Interceptor by Saturday afternoon.

The 72-inch-wide sewer pipe collapsed near the Clara Barton Parkway in January, sending more than 200 million gallons of wastewater containing E. coli and other bacteria into the Potomac River and prompting emergency response efforts from officials in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

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Officials said they believe the spill may have been worsened by what was described as a “once-in-a-lifetime” pipe blockage, possibly caused by large rocks near the pipe linked to how the system was built in the 1960s.

During the emergency response, bypass pumping systems diverted wastewater away from the damaged pipe while crews investigated the cause of the collapse and worked to contain overflows.

The water company also shared new details about the scale of the response:

• 10,500 galloons of wipes removed from pumps
• 35 tons of gravel hauled daily
• 3,680 gallons of fuel used each day

According to officials, those efforts prevented more than two billion gallons of sewage water from entering the Potomac River.

DC Water made it clear that the region’s drinking water system was not affected, noting it operates through a separate pipeline network.

Crews are expected to continue monitoring the system and begin long-term repairs to more than 2,700 feet of pipe, while environmental cleanup continues with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).