Potomac River Advisory Lifted
Following a sewage spill, the Virginia Department of Health has partially lifted the recreational water advisory for the Potomac River. Some areas near Chain Bridge remain under restriction, so kayakers and boaters should check local updates before launching.
The spill originated on January 19, 2026, when a 60-year-old, 72-inch diameter sewer pipe known as the Potomac Interceptor collapsed in Montgomery County, Maryland. The pipeline is operated by DC Water and carries wastewater from Virginia and Maryland suburbs to the Blue Plains treatment plant in D.C. An estimated 240 to 300 million gallons of raw sewage flowed into the river, making it one of the largest such spills in U.S. history. Initial water quality tests following the rupture found E. coli levels more than 10,000 times above the safe limit for human contact. Crews from DC Water began installing an emergency bypass system on January 23 to reroute the wastewater around the break. While overflows were stopped by early February, a permanent repair to the damaged pipe is expected to take several more months to complete. The remaining 4.7-mile advisory, from the American Legion Bridge (I-495) to the Chain Bridge, is in place because water samples in that area continue to show elevated E. coli levels near the spill site. The lifted advisory covers the area south of Chain Bridge, where testing showed bacteria had returned to acceptable levels for recreation. Throughout the incident, officials have stated that the region's drinking water was not impacted, as water intake pipes are located upstream from the collapse site. Maryland issued a precautionary closure for some downstream shellfish harvesting areas, which is scheduled to be lifted on March 10. On February 21, President Trump approved a federal emergency declaration, authorizing FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts to help manage the cleanup and recovery.
