Drinking Water ♦ Shellfish Closures ♦ Recreation

On January 19, a sewer line in Montgomery County, Maryland, collapsed, causing an overflow of more than 200 million gallons of wastewater into Potomac River. On January 24, DC Water completed a bypass to reroute wastewater around the collapsed section of pipe and back into the sewer system. In the beginning of February, additional overflows occurred.

DC Water is handling the repairs to the pipe. Updates on repairs can be found on the DC Water page. Maryland has regulatory authority over the Potomac River for issuing shellfish closures and recreational advisories as well as water quality monitoring.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is working with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH). VDH has a long-standing relationship with these agencies navigating pollution events and water quality monitoring in the Potomac River and have been in constant communication since the event occurred.

On February 13, VDH issued a recreational advisory for Virginia residents. The advisory is in place until sustainable repairs can be completed.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is conducting regular water quality testing to assess the impacts of this spill as it continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of Virginians.