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Sewage continues to spill into Potomac River after major line collapses
A collapsed sewer line is still triggering multiple sewage overflows into the Potomac River, raising E. coli levels in the process. After another setback to the clean-up, D.C. Water says repairs may not be done for weeks.
WASHINGTON - A collapsed sewer line is still triggering multiple sewage overflows into the Potomac River, raising E. coli levels in the process.
After another setback to the clean-up, D.C. Water says repairs may not be done for weeks.
The backstory:
This all started in January when a section of the Potomac intercepter sewer line collapsed.
It's been causing overflow of more than 200 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River, increasing levels of dangerous bacteria.
D.C. Water says it has experienced several overflow incidents like the one on Super Bowl Sunday.
This past weekend alone, 600,000 gallons of raw sewage poured into the river after two of their pumps, used to prevent sewage from getting inside, became clogged by an accumulation of non-disposable wipes.
D.C. Water tells FOX 5 that they are trying to stay ahead of the curve with preventative cleaning measures, but they recently reported that the E. coli rate at the sewage spill was going down when, in fact, it was more than 100 times higher
Officials quickly corrected the data, saying they identified a human error through internal review and have since updated the information.
They add that the frigid temperatures have been serving as a freezer, keeping the bacteria alive and helping it travel greater distances downstream.
What they're saying:
"Watch out for that paper mafia," D.C. resident Ashley Swatcki said. "People need to invest in those bidets because that’s pretty gross."
In the past month, many have noticed the foul stench now and wonder how bad the odor will be as the weather warms up.
"Yeah, it looks pretty gross. I live not too far and I can smell something, so I’m not surprised it looks like that," Jessica Anderson told FOX 5. "I hope they can fix it soon. It seems like it’s an ongoing problem for a while now. Hopefully, it gets fixed before it gets warmer, and then it really gets bad."
Some say they understand that the work is going to take some time.
"They work pretty hard and pretty fast to fix it. Things break, you know. Things get old. I feel sorry for the workers who got stuck," said another D.C. resident, Reeve Vanenan.
An open letter:
On Thursday, DC Water CEO David L. Gadis addressed the Potomac interceptor issue and subsequent sewage spill.
He called the incident "deeply troubling," and said that he, along with much of the D.C. community, is feeling "concern, frustration, and a sense of loss."
READ MORE: DC Water CEO writes open letter on Potomac sewage spill
"Our immediate priorities have been containment, environmental monitoring, and stabilization - working closely with federal, state, and local partners to assess water quality, ecological impacts, and necessary remediation," Gadis said.
"Protecting the Potomac is not the responsibility of any one organization alone. It is a shared obligation, and we value the advocacy, expertise, and vigilance of those who hold us accountable. Recovery and long-term stewardship require more than immediate action - they require alignment among those responsible for protecting public health, safeguarding the environment, applying technical expertise, and representing the voices of the affected communities. Through continued collaboration, openness, and sustained investment, I am confident we can strengthen both the health of the river and the trust of the communities we serve," the letter went on to say.
Gadis says D.C. Water is planning to gather with community partners to speak directly with the community on the response, ongoing assessment and details on what’s next.