Bowser declares emergency, seeks FEMA support for Potomac sewage spill

WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a local public emergency and requested federal emergency assistance on Wednesday evening following the Potomac Interceptor break, according to a press release from her office. 

Immediate federal coordination 

What we know:

The mayor’s request includes immediate federal coordination, technical support for water quality monitoring and a comprehensive assessment of water treatment facilities by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The city is also seeking 100% reimbursement for costs to both the District and D.C. Water, according to the release; it's important to note that the Potomac Interceptor is maintained by D.C. Water, and runs along the Clara Barton Parkway — which is maintained by the federal government by way of the National Park Service.

The state of Maryland does not own the sewer line.

The mayor also asked for support for small businesses impacted by the spill and called for long-term upgrades to water infrastructure in the release. The city is additionally pushing for federal agencies to accelerate upgrades to drinking water systems and to fund flood protection projects that are currently stalled.

Although officials previously stated that the drinking water supply was not affected by the spill, water quality tests conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the District Department of Energy and Environment show E. coli levels in D.C. are below EPA safety thresholds, the release states. As such, officials still recommend avoiding contact with the Potomac River.

The backstory:

The spill began January 19, when a 72‑inch section of the Potomac Interceptor collapsed in Montgomery County, Maryland, sending sewage shooting out of the ground and into the river. 

DC Water said the break has released an estimated 300 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River. Repairs were delayed earlier this month after crews discovered an unexpected blockage in the line. On Monday, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) issued a recreational water advisory. 

The spill has caused President Donald Trump and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to verbally spar a number of times this week.

Trump responded to the situation on Truth Social Monday, where he blamed the "ecological disaster" on the "gross mismanagement of local democrat leaders, particuarly, Governor Wes Moore, of Maryland." 

Moore says President Donald Trump is just playing politics. 

"The sewage pipe that he is talking about is on federal land and over the past four weeks the Trump Administration has failed to act," the governor said.  

What's next:

DC Water crews and contractors are nearly done building an enhanced bypass system, which will allow emergency repairs to begin on a damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor, according to another press release. The emergency repair phase is expected to take another four to six weeks once the bypass is activated.

Once emergency repairs are finished, a longer-term rehabilitation phase will begin, which DC Water says will take about nine to ten months. 

What we don't know:

It is not yet clear when the Potomac River will be considered safe for recreational use again.