DC Health lifts Potomac River recreational advisory more than a month after major sewage spill

WASHINGTON - DC Health has lifted its recreational advisory for the Potomac River, saying water quality has returned to safe levels more than a month after a catastrophic sewage spill sent millions of gallons of wastewater into the waterway.

According to officials, recent testing shows bacteria levels are now within safe ranges for recreation.

Multiple agencies, including DC Water, the Department of Energy and Environment, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the EPA and FEMA, have been monitoring water quality at sites along both the Potomac and Anacostia rivers since the Jan. 19 pipe collapse in Montgomery County.

When the 72‑inch Potomac Interceptor ruptured, it released millions of gallons of wastewater. The cleanup and repair effort was slowed by unexpected complications after a video inspection in early February revealed a large rock dam about 30 feet from the break, forcing crews to excavate and remove the obstruction.

DC Water expects to repair the collapsed section and restore flow by mid-March, followed by environmental restoration along the drainage channel, the C&O Canal and the Potomac shoreline out to Swainson Island.

Potomac Sewage Spill: Mounting questions as repair and cleanup continue

In a statement on Monday, DC Health officials say E. coli levels in urban rivers can fluctuate, especially after rain or snowmelt, when stormwater runoff carries bacteria from wildlife and pets into waterways. 

 While swimming in the rivers without a permit is never allowed in the District, the city uses the EPA’s recreational standard of 410 MPN/100 mL to assess safety. 

Officials say E. coli levels in the District’s portion of the Potomac have stayed within typical ranges for 21 days since the last overflow.

"Protecting the health and safety of District residents is our top priority," said Dr. Ayanna Bennett, Director of DC Health in a statement. "After careful review of the last three weeks of water quality data, we are confident that conditions in the District’s portion of the Potomac River no longer pose an elevated public health risk. This advisory applies only to waters within the District of Columbia, and we encourage residents to follow guidance from neighboring jurisdictions for areas outside the District’s boundaries."