Potomac disaster demonstrates environmental hypocrisy. Washington's climate crusaders obsess over carbon while ignoring a real environmental disaster in their backyard: hundreds of millions of gallons of sewage pouring into the Potomac. March 12, 2026 Politicians in and around Washington, D.C., posture as guardians of the planet while standing by seemingly unconcerned for weeks as raw sewage from their backyard spills into the Potomac River, flowing through the nation's capital and into the Chesapeake Bay's fishery. The spill started on January 19 with the failure of a 60-million-gallon-a-day pipe in the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) system. While DC Water reported that a bypass around the break had been completed five days later, Betsy Nicholas, president of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN), said about 300 million gallons of sewage had gone into the river, and residual spillage had continued to pollute for an extended period. Testing by PRKN and scientists from the University of Maryland revealed a river teeming with disease. Water samples collected nine days after the disaster showed levels of fecal bacteria more than 2,700 times the safe limit established by Maryland and Virginia. Even 10 miles downstream, at the Thompson Boat House along the D.C. waterfront, contamination levels ranged from two to 59 times above the recreational safety limit. Dean Naujoks of PRKN said that officials understated the effect of the spill. "DC Water claimed... that the sewage leak was fully contained in the C&O Canal, but on February 4 it acknowledged that 'overflow risks remain,' which have resulted in 'slight increases' in coliform levels near Lock 10 over the past two days. Our February 3 data show that the actual E. coli contamination is, in fact, 4,227 times over the safety limit. This is hardly slight." DC Water and others, including Maryland Governor Wes Moore, have drawn heavy criticism from PRKN and political opponents for an apparent lack of urgency. "At a time when faith in our leaders is dishearteningly low, the wholly insufficient response by the D.C. government at all levels only adds to that loss of faith," said PRKN's Nicholas. "Our conscience should be shocked when we remember that what is at risk here is public health - for millions of area residents." The inaction on the part of policymakers is baffling. Governor Moore's claim that containment work was nearly done was damage control and downplayed the scale of the disaster. Having been asked a month after the spill to help with the recovery, Lee Zeldin, head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, minced no words: "The... overflow is a sewage crisis of historic proportion. Never should any American family, community, or waterway ever have to experience this level of extensive environmental damage." Indeed. How does the wealthiest nation on Earth allow a major river to become a septic system? At least in part, by having modern environmentalism hijacked by a climate industrial complex that obsessively demonizes carbon dioxide, a colorless, odorless gas essential for life. While the likes of Governor Moore direct billions to so-called green programs to address a fabricated climate crisis, a 60-year-old line - six feet in diameter - is allowed to deteriorate to the point of releasing toxins that are an immediate threat to wildlife and a hazard to people. The same politicians who lecture working-class families about their gas stoves and internal combustion engines are blind to the moral failing of an incompetence that dumps human waste into a river used by those same families. The irony is bitter. This is the difference between real accountability for ecological care and the climate elite's preening over phony achievements in "fighting" a made-up crisis. Legitimate environmental concerns have more to do with the health of habitats for animals and people than fanciful visions of managing a climate system that is much too complex and too large to control - even if there were reasons to do so. While the Potomac Riverkeeper Network has been vocal about the sewage spill, many other environmental groups have been missing in action. Such organizations, Amgreatness suspect, have mission statements that call on them to step forward. In any case, let's hope that the cherry blossoms of March replace mid-winter's poisons and stench along the Potomac's shores. Vijay Jayaraj is a Science and Research Associate at the CO2 Coalition, Fairfax, Virginia. He holds an M.S. in environmental sciences from the University of East Anglia and a postgraduate degree in energy management from Robert Gordon University, both in the U.K., and a bachelor's in engineering from Anna University, India. He served as a research associate with the Changing Oceans Research Unit at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

5 things to know today, March 12, in Montgomery County. It's Thursday, March 12, and here are five things to know in Montgomery County. Check the weather forecast here. 1. Lawsuit filed in Potomac River sewage spill: A class-action lawsuit has been filed against DC Water over a 243-million-gallon sewage spill that released untreated wastewater into the Potomac River. 2. Adventist Germantown emergency center to close July 1: Adventist HealthCare's Germantown Emergency Center will close July 1 due to a decrease in the number of patients served there. The health care facility will refocus efforts at its Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville. 3. Ask Me Anything: At 7 p.m., County Council President Natali Fani-González will host her first live online "Ask Me Anything" session for residents who live in her council district (district 6). Residents can sign up here. 4. County Council: There will be two county council committee meetings today, starting at 1:30 p.m. The meetings will be livestreamed on YouTube. See agendas here 5. The Pulse: The latest episode of The Pulse takes viewers to the banks of the Potomac River, where the massive sewage spill has sparked growing concern among residents and environmentalists. For the latest news and events in Montgomery County, stay with MyMCMedia. We hope you will also follow MyMCMedia on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Jan 28, 2026 - letter from Councilmember Allen on Potomac River Sewage Spill. Posted by Erik Salmi on January 30, 2026 The following text is from a letter dated January 28, 2026 to the Director of DC Department of Energy and Environment and the CEO & General Manager of DC Water: Re: Update and Briefing Request on Potomac River Sewage Spill Response Dear Director Jackson and General Manager Gadis, I write to you about the sewage spill resulting from a pipeline rupture on January 19 at a major section of the Potomac Interceptor sanitary sewer line located in the C&O Canal National Historical Park near Lockhouse 10. Between the initial rupture on January 19 and the near-success of the bypass pipe and pump installation on Saturday, January 24, around 40 million gallons of untreated sewage overflowed from the pipe per day. Some overflow continues to stream into the river, and samples collected by the Potomac Riverkeeper Network showed levels of E.coli bacteria that are exponentially higher than most authorities deem safe for human contact. So far, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority ("DC Water"), the Department of Energy and Environment ("DOEE"), and relevant federal agencies have responded by developing and executing a plan to construct a bypass pipe and pump installation. Thanks to the DC Water team for providing courtesy updates on the cleanup process to me, my committee staff, and the public. I am, however, disappointed to see that DOEE has provided little new information on this emergency to the public or the Council until more than a week after the spill began. Recognizing limitations on staff resources during this emergency response, please respond to the following questions-and coordinate with my office to provide a joint DC Water and DOEE briefing to the Council on the Lockhouse 10 sewage spill. * What caused the initial pipeline rupture? * When was either DC Water or DOEE notified of the rupture? Who was the lead responding agency and has that changed throughout the response? * To date, what is the total volume of sewage resulting from the rupture that has entered District waterways. When will the overflow into the Potomac River be completely halted? * Residents have already reported fish-kills along the river and impacts for pets who have been exposed to contaminated water along the Potomac River. Yet my office has been informed that the National Park Service has removed signs with public safety information. What are the potential threats to District residents resulting from the spill, and what steps has the District government and D.C. Water taken to inform the public of the short-term dangers for human health? * At this early stage, what are the possible long-term impacts of hundreds of millions of gallons of contaminated water entering the Potomac River? * DC Water has received $625 million as part of its Capital Improvement Program for rehabilitating the Potomac Interceptor. The Potomac Interceptor is 54 miles long and receives 60 million gallons of wastewater daily. Is this spill a symptom of broader issues with the aging sewer line, and are future spills possible? * On January 27th, DOEE provided a statement to the media recommending that "residents and their pets continue to avoid direct contact with the Potomac River," and stating that DOEE inspectors are currently evaluating the sewage spill's likely impacts within the District's jurisdiction. What have these initial inspections shown, and what should District residents expect in the coming weeks and months from DOEE's response? * In a January 21 email to me, DC Water staff noted that a bypass was deployed on January 26-27, eventually allowing for full containment as of the week of the date of this letter. Please confirm whether the bypass is properly conveying all wastewater to the Blue Plains treatment plant, and why, based on recent reports, "some of the wastewater continues to escape around the break site." What is the timeline for completion of the repairs to this damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor pipeline? * What is the permanent solution to ensure that the rupture is capped? While responding to a sewage release of this size is burdensome and its drinking water source is secure, I have been frustrated by the lack of information provided to the public about the public health and environmental risks posed by more than a week of raw sewage polluting its region's primary waterway. Sincerely, Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6 Chair, Committee on Transportation and the Environment The Honorable Muriel Bowser, Mayor, District of Columbia Kevin Donahue, City Administrator, Executive Office of the Mayor Betsy Nicholas, President, Potomac Riverkeeper Network Dean Naujoks, Potomac Riverkeeper, Potomac Riverkeeper Network * Erik Salmi published this page in Newsroom 24 days ago How Can Charles Help You? UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS WITH CHARLES Time: 8:30 AM