Ruptured pipe that leaked millions of gallons of raw waste into the Potomac is back in operation

WASHINGTON (AP) — The massive sewage pipe that ruptured and leaked millions of gallons of raw waste into the Potomac River returned to operation Saturday after the completion of emergency repairs.

DC Water, the utility that runs Washington’s water and sewage systems, reported that it had completed testing to determine whether the 72-inch diameter pipe could handle the flow.

The Potomac Interceptor ruptured on Jan. 19, sending 250 million gallons of untreated sewage into the river just north of the nation’s capital over the first five days.

The utility worked with the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies to repair the leak and monitor the ecological impact on the river. Other work on the pipe and system could take months.

Drinking water was never in jeopardy, but recreational use by anglers, boaters and others on the Potomac has been closely monitored because of concerns over the presence of deadly bacteria that can be passed along through direct contact with the water.

A class action lawsuit was filed March 6 in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, accusing DC Water with negligence.

Plaintiff Nicholas Lailas, a Virginia resident and recreational boat user on the Potomac, is seeking compensation for people “whose property interests in and use and enjoyment of the Potomac River … have been impaired by Defendant’s conduct,” the lawsuit said. It did not specify a damage amount.

The spill occurred in Montgomery County, Maryland, along Clara Barton Parkway, which hugs the northern edge of the Potomac River near the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park. It became a serious environmental issue and the focus of political bickering between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic-led Maryland.

“Full flow has been restored and the C&O Canal has been fully drained as part of site restoration,” DC Water said in a post on X. “Since Jan 19, crews worked around the clock to stabilize the site and protect the Potomac River.

The District of Columbia’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, declared an emergency Feb. 18 and requested that Trump provide federal resources, days after he chided Democratic leaders in Maryland, Washington and Virginia for not requesting help. He approved the emergency assistance quickly to help the city address the emergency.

Betsy Nicholas, president of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, said the situation “could have been so much worse given the vulnerability of our drinking water system” in the district, Montgomery County and Virginia’s Arlington County.

Nicholas said the incident highlights the need for ecological assessments and remediation efforts, including natural solutions such as freshwater mussels and native aquatic plants.

“We need assurances that this isn’t going to happen again, that there’s going to be full inspection of the entire remaining system,” Nicholas said.

DC Water is holding a series of meetings with the public to discuss updates on the repair and environmental rehabilitation, including ones next week in Bethesda, Maryland, and Alexandria, Virginia.