DC Water announced on Thursday that crews have reached the damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor that collapsed January 19 along Clara Barton Parkway near I-495 and the C&O Canal.
The collapse released an estimated 243.5 million gallons of wastewater, most of it in the first week, and was described by the University of Maryland as one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history. On Monday, President Donald Trump said the federal government would help coordinate the response. Officials said a steel bulkhead gate and bypass pumping system are now diverting wastewater, allowing crews to manually remove debris and begin assessing the pipe, with no reported overflows into the river in the past 11 days.
Earlier in the day, Muriel Bowser joined David L. Gadis at the site to observe repair efforts and pumping operations aimed at preventing further contamination. DC Water said repairs are expected to be completed by mid-March, after which the temporary bypass system will be removed, and crews will carefully clear remaining debris and a rock dam before full restoration. Officials also reported that daily water quality testing is ongoing, noting that E. coli levels naturally fluctuate due to weather, runoff, and other factors, and that downstream measurements cannot be attributed solely to this incident.
