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By Gabe Whisnant
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A massive sewer pipe rupture has sent millions of gallons of raw sewage flowing into the Potomac River northwest of Washington, D.C., polluting the waterway as crews race to contain the spill ahead of a major winter storm.
Dean Naujoks, the Potomac Riverkeeper and a member of an environmental nonprofit monitoring the spill, described the spill erupting "like a geyser" in remarks to the Associated Press.
DC Water, which operates the region’s sewer system, said it is installing pumps to divert wastewater around the rupture so crews can make repairs. Officials warned the public to stay out of the affected area and to wash exposed skin immediately if contact occurs.
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Kelly Offner, a spokesperson for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic region, said the agency is coordinating with DC Water, the Maryland Department of the Environment and other federal, state and local authorities to assess the environmental impact of the Potomac Interceptor sanitary sewer overflow. She said the EPA oversees DC Water’s sewer operations under a 2015 federal consent decree.
“DC Water has provided daily updates since the overflow was discovered on January 19, 2026, and has been coordinating efforts to contain the overflow, monitor environmental impacts, and communicate with the public,” Offner told the Associated Press.
What Caused the Potomac Sewage Spill?
The spill was caused by the collapse of a 72-inch sewer pipe late Monday, sending sewage shooting out of the ground and flowing directly into the river. The affected system is capable of carrying up to 60 million gallons of wastewater per day — roughly the equivalent of 90 Olympic-size swimming pools.
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Environmental groups warn of health risks
“Oh my God, the smell is horrific,” said Dean Naujoks, the Potomac Riverkeeper and a member of an environmental nonprofit monitoring the spill. “It’s such high concentrations of sewage that just grabbing a sample is a public health risk.”
Associated Press video from the scene showed warning signs posted along the riverbank reading “DANGER” and “Raw Sewage,” cautioning people not to enter the area. Wearing protective gloves, Naujoks and another man collected water samples to test for E. coli and other bacteria. Small pieces of debris were visible floating in some of the sample containers.
Naujoks said the spill is occurring at a time when the river is running low, worsening its environmental impact.
“I was kind of stunned,” he said after visiting the site Wednesday. “Sewage is just bubbling up like a small geyser, maybe two, three feet into the air. Sewage water is running in every direction.”
Spill location near C&O Canal draws concern
The rupture occurred in Montgomery County, Maryland, along Clara Barton Parkway, which runs along the northern edge of the Potomac River near the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park.
DC Water said crews are removing lock gates on the C&O Canal and installing pumps upstream of the rupture. The plan is to redirect sewage into the canal and then route it downstream of the damaged pipe before sending it back into the sewer system.
Officials said the spill does not affect drinking water, which is handled by a separate system. Repair crews are expected to work through the weekend despite forecasts calling for severe winter weather.
DC Water said in Thursday's statement, "Work is expected to continue through the weekend, even with the potential for heavy snow. Plans are in place to ensure plows are able to operate and crews can continue to install equipment and pumps for the bypass."
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Aging sewer infrastructure under scrutiny
DC Water acknowledged that it was aware the pipeline was deteriorating and began collecting public input in 2022 for a rehabilitation project. The proposal involves installing a new, smaller-diameter pipe inside the existing line.
Rehabilitation work on the section surrounding the rupture began in September and was expected to be completed by April. Additional repairs to other “high-priority” sections of the pipeline are scheduled to begin later this year.
The pipeline, known as the Potomac Interceptor, was originally installed in the 1960s and has been in service for decades.
Winter storm could worsen spill impacts
Environmental advocates warn that a dayslong winter storm expected to bring subzero temperatures to the Washington region could complicate containment efforts.
Gary Belan, a senior director with American Rivers, said freezing conditions could interfere with the temporary diversion system.
“If the diversion canal freezes, the sewage could hit an ice dam and then overflow into the river,” Belan told the Associated Press.
Speaking at a news conference declaring a snow emergency, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said city officials were aware of the spill but had limited information.
“I can’t give you an intelligent response right now,” Bowser said, adding that officials would provide more details as they became available.
Nationwide funding gap fuels infrastructure failures
Belan said the spill highlights a broader national problem: a lack of sustained investment in water infrastructure.
“There’s a huge funding gap for water infrastructure in the U.S.,” he said. “Wastewater utilities are trying to catch up as best they can, but this is something we see and will continue to see — pipes fail and massive sewage dumps occur.”
He said disasters often become the catalyst for action.
“This is why we can’t defer maintenance of our wastewater infrastructure,” Belan said. “Too often, we’re dependent on these failures to prod us forward.”
Nationally, hundreds of billions of dollars in investment are needed over the next two decades to address aging sewer systems. In communities where breaks are frequent, failures can lead to sewage backups into homes and repeated flooding, posing ongoing public health and environmental risks.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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