Potomac River restrictions could be lifted Monday; community meetings scheduled

Name: Potomac River restrictions could be lifted Monday
Uploaded: 2026-02-25T09:20:31-05:00
Description: Recreational activities on the Potomac River could resume as early as Monday, with officials reporting improvement in water quality testing following last month’s massive sewage spill.

Potomac River restrictions could be lifted Monday

Recreational activities on the Potomac River could resume as early as Monday, with officials reporting improvement in water quality testing following last month’s massive sewage spill.

WASHINGTON - Recreational activities on the Potomac River could resume as early as Monday, with officials reporting improvement in water‑quality testing following last month’s massive sewage spill.

What we know:

More updates are expected Wednesday night during a community meeting on repairs to the collapsed Potomac Interceptor sewer line and the ongoing impact across the region.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told FOX 5 that contamination concerns are easing. The D.C. Department of Health says water‑quality levels may return to safe recreational standards by Monday. E. coli levels, which naturally fluctuate with weather, are currently testing in the normal range.

FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick reports that D.C. Health could soon give the go‑ahead for activities like kayaking and sailing, even as repair work continues upstream. Still, many river users remain cautious. Georgetown University’s sailing and rowing teams, among the many clubs that rely on the river, say they’re sticking with off‑water practices for now.

What's next:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is now assisting DC Water with stormwater management to keep repair crews working on the damaged pipe. Full repairs are expected by mid‑March, just ahead of the Cherry Blossom Festival, which begins March 20.

DC Water will hold a community meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at its headquarters, followed by a second meeting Thursday night in Bethesda.

The 72‑inch Potomac Interceptor ruptured in Montgomery County on Jan. 19, releasing millions of gallons of wastewater. DC Water says the repair effort has been complicated by what crews discovered underground. 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 before fully addressing the collapse.

Once repairs are complete, DC Water will begin environmental restoration, including work on the drainage channel, the C&O Canal and the Potomac River shoreline out to Swainson Island.