See video, photos from Potomac River sewage spill aftermath
- - See video, photos from Potomac River sewage spill aftermath
Greta Cross and Michelle Del Rey , USA TODAYFebruary 18, 2026 at 2:20 AM
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Repair of a pipe that burst millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River in January is underway, with long-term rehabilitation to continue through the fall.
On Jan. 19, a 72-inch diameter portion of the Potomac Interceptor, part of DC Water's sanitary sewage system, collapsed in Montgomery County, Maryland. Millions of gallons of raw sewage quickly flowed into the waterway, and emergency repair of the pipe is expected to take between four and six weeks, according to a DC Water news release shared on Feb. 16.
The full extent of necessary repairs is uncertain, as a rock dam blocks the damaged pipe. To access the pipe, a steel gate will be installed later this week to isolate the damaged section. Crews will then pump out the remaining wastewater in the collapse site and start an excavation to remove the rock dam.
The damage can be assessed after the dam is removed, the news release said. Once the emergency repair is complete, DC Water will begin a longer-term rehabilitation phase of the C&O Canal, which will take between nine and 10 months, according to the news release.
Pumps and pipes divert raw sewage into the C&O Canal and around a broken section of the Potomac Interceptor, a 6-foot-wide pipe that collapsed on Jan. 19, in between the Clara Barton Parkway and the canal on Feb. 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. More than 300 million gallons of raw sewage poured into the Potomac River after the underground pipeline collapsed on Jan. 19.Trump slams governor over sewage spill
In a Truth Social post made on Feb. 16, President Donald Trump pointed fingers at Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, saying the disaster was a result of "gross mismanagement of local Democrat leaders." Trump said Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC have failed to ask for federal emergency assistance, though Maryland officials have reported working alongside the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean up and repair the damaged pipe.
As repair and rehab efforts continue, here is a look at the sewage spill along the waterway. See video at the top of this story.
Potomac River: Trump slams Gov. Wes Moore, says feds will take over Potomac cleanup
See photos from Potomac River sewage spill
Plastic sheeting covers the walls of Lock 11 as raw sewage pours through the C&O Canal and around a broken section of the Potomac Interceptor, a 6-foot-wide pipe that collapsed on Jan. 19, in between the Clara Barton Parkway and the canal on Feb. 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. More than 300 million gallons of raw sewage poured into the Potomac River after the underground pipeline collapsed on Jan. 19.
Pumps and pipes divert raw sewage into the C&O Canal and around a broken section of the Potomac Interceptor, a 6-foot-wide pipe that collapsed on Jan. 19, in between the Clara Barton Parkway and the canal on Feb. 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. More than 300 million gallons of raw sewage poured into the Potomac River after the underground pipeline collapsed on Jan. 19.
Earthen barriers near Lock 10 on the C&O Canal help redirect sewage back into the Potomac Interceptor after a section of the 6-foot-wide sewage pipe collapsed last month between the Clara Barton Parkway and the canal on Feb. 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland.
Millions of gallons of untreated sewage poured out of this manhole cover after the Potomac Interceptor, a 6-foot-wide sewage pipe, collapsed last month between the Clara Barton Parkway and the C&O Canal on Feb. 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. More than 300 million gallons of raw sewage poured into the Potomac River after the underground pipeline collapsed on Jan. 19.
Waste clings to a branch as millions of gallons of untreated sewage is diverted along the C&O Canal as repair work continues a 6-foot-wide underground sewage pipe collapsed last month between the Clara Barton Parkway and the canal on Feb. 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland.
The C&O Canal's Lock 13 is draped in plastic sheeting as raw sewage is diverted through the canal and around a broken section of the Potomac Interceptor, a 6-foot-wide pipe that collapsed last month along the Clara Barton Parkway underneath I-495 on Feb. 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland.
A fence separates the path from the C&O Canal where millions of gallons of untreated sewage are being diverted on Feb. 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. More than 300 million gallons of raw sewage poured into the Potomac River after an underground pipeline called the Potomac Interceptor collapsed on Jan. 19.
Workers use pumps to move sewage around a broken section of the Potomac Interceptor, a 6-foot-wide sewage pipe between the Clara Barton Parkway and the C&O Canal on Feb. 16, 2026 in Cabin John, Maryland. More than 300 million gallons of raw sewage poured into the Potomac River after the underground pipeline collapsed on Jan. 19.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: See aftermath from massive Potomac sewage spill
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