UPDATE: Progress on Potomac Interceptor Restore and Environmental Restoration Efforts

Potomac Interceptor Repairs Update 
March 1, 2026

• Today marks a milestone, as we attain the three-week level with no overflows getting into the Potomac River. The final launch to succeed in the river occurred on February 8.
• On February 28, National Park Service (NPS) issued a Special Use Permit for the restore, rehabilitation, and environmental restoration of the Potomac Interceptor and the C&O Canal National Historical Park on the space of the Potomac Interceptor collapse between Locks 10 and 14.
• Work continues to scrub the pipe upstream and downstream from the broken part of the Potomac Interceptor. Teams are additionally clearing timber, brush, and contaminated particles in and across the collapse web site below the supervision of NPS as a part of the NPS authorised environmental restoration work underway.
• A CCTV inspection on the upstream pipe part was carried out, and cleansing is predicted to be accomplished tomorrow. This will likely be adopted by strain washing the upstream part to arrange for the appliance of the geopolymer lining.
• Cleaning continues downstream of the broken pipe part and as soon as the emergency restore work is accomplished upstream, the geopolymer work will transfer to the downstream part.
• The geopolymer, a cloth related in energy to concrete, will reinforce and strengthen the pipe. Geopolymer is sprayed on and should treatment between layers till it reaches the specified thickness.
• The begin of geopolymer work this week retains the emergency restore on observe to be accomplished mid-March, when the complete move of wastewater will likely be restored to the Potomac Interceptor and the bypass pumping system will not be obligatory.
• Starting tomorrow, DC Water and its contractor will start hauling the contaminated brush and soil from the location for correct disposal.
• Environmental restoration work will proceed however could also be impacted by climate circumstances and forecasted rain and snow. The clean-up should be carried out in dry circumstances to stop additional contamination.

DC Water stays dedicated to defending public well being and security and guaranteeing the environmental restoration is carried out within the fast areas across the collapse web site and areas of the Potomac River in coordination with NPS and MDE.

Water Quality Sampling

DC Water is performing every day water high quality sampling. It’s vital to notice that traditionally the E. coli ranges within the Potomac and Anacostia rivers fluctuate extensively from everyday. This is mirrored in latest sampling outcomes with stormwater runoff from rain and snow impacting water high quality. Fluctuations in water high quality are influenced by components comparable to climate occasions, river move, runoff, pollution, releases of mixed overflows, and different sources discharging into waterways.

Given these variables, measurements taken a lot additional downstream can’t be attributed solely to this incident.

For the Potomac River, historic water high quality knowledge exhibits E. coli ranges might fluctuate from a variety as little as 10 MPN/100mL to as a lot as 5,000 MPN/100mL on a given day. A extra detailed clarification is posted on the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) web site at doee.dc.gov/release/potomac-interceptor-update-and-faqs.

Below are the outcomes of sampling throughout the interval from February 16 – current. Past outcomes could also be discovered on our devoted Potomac Interceptor Response web page.

For the most recent on the Potomac Interceptor restore efforts, together with information and updates, water high quality sampling outcomes, and extra info go to dcwater.com/potomac-interceptor-collapse.