Massive sewage spill pours hundreds of millions of gallons into the Potomac

An enormous sewage spill began gushing into the Potomac on Jan. 19 after a section of the Potomac Interceptor, a 72-inch-wide sewer line near the Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Md., collapsed about five miles upstream of Washington. The pipe, which normally carries up to 60 million gallons a day, flooded into the river unencumbered for about a week until D.C.

Water diverted the flow to a downstream section that runs to a treatment facility. There have been intermittent spills as recently as Feb. 10, and the utility expects repairs will take four to six weeks; drinking water has not been affected, but initial testing found elevated levels of E.

coli, Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA, raising concerns about boating, fishing and other recreational activities. The disaster became entangled in national politics after President Trump posted on Truth Social that local officials, including Governor Wes Moore, had bungled the cleanup and said FEMA would intervene.

United States, Montgomery County, Maryland

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