Broken D.C.-Area Sewer Pipe Spills 243 Million Gallons Into Potomac

A major sewer main serving the Washington, D.C. region has been leaking since its Jan. 19 collapse in Montgomery County, Md., sending an estimated 243 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River about eight miles from the White House. DC Water now says engineers discovered a massive rock 'dam' inside the ruptured pipe, and clearing the boulders with heavy machinery and specialized equipment from Florida and Texas will take four to six weeks before they can even fully assess the damage and set a final repair timetable. Interim bypass pumping is rerouting most sewage and the utility estimates the peak spill—about 40 million gallons per day—amounted to roughly 2% of the river’s flow during the worst period; it also reports that since Feb. 1, downstream E. coli levels have been within EPA’s acceptable range for primary-contact recreation. Clean‑water advocates at the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, citing independent University of Maryland testing that found fecal bacteria more than 2,700 times above Maryland and Virginia safety limits nine days after the break, are demanding clear public‑health warnings and telling residents that "right now, the Potomac River is not safe." The incident highlights both the vulnerability of aging sewer infrastructure in the capital region and the tension between official assurances and outside scientists over when it is truly safe for the public to return to the river.