WASHINGTON (7News) — It will take another nine months for DC Water to fix the sewer pipe near I-495 and Clara Barton Parkway that collapsed on January 19 and sent nearly 250 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River.
Maryland’s Environment and Transportation Committee held a virtual meeting Friday afternoon to address the Potomac Interceptor break and sewage spill. Leaders from DC Water, Maryland Department of the Environment, University of Maryland and the Potomac Riverkeeper Network gave new details to the delegates.
READ MORE | ‘One of the largest sewage spills in history’ worries DC water watchdog group
Days after the 6′-wide concrete pipe collapsed, the large winter storm that hit the region froze much of the river and wastewater.
“Do we anticipate that the contamination may get worse when the river thaws?” asked Del. Linda Foley.
“We are pleased at the moment with what we’re seeing in bacteria coming down, but this is not over,” responded Adam Ortiz with the Maryland Department of the Environment. “We don’t want to be naïve. We’re certainly not out of the woods.”
The busted pipe belongs to DC Water, but like many things in the DMV, if it impacts the District, Virginia and Maryland will feel it too.
“I think it’s going to be somewhat devastating,” Dean Naujoks of Potomac Riverkeeper told a group of reporters after the committee meeting.
Between January 19 and February 6, more than 242 million gallons of sewage spilled out and more is trickling in. DC Water set up a bypass system that redirects the wastewater to the C&O Canal which is then pumped back into the Potomac Interceptor.
Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties warned residents in January. The District and Commonwealth just announced warnings Thursday and Friday, respectively.
“I’ve been frustrated it took 25 days for DC to post a public health advisory,” said Naujoks.
Recreation on the river is limited because of the season, but University of Maryland water quality specialist Rachel Rosenberg Goldstein said the land surrounding the water is also impacted.
“We were just out there yesterday, we saw remnants of toilet paper, remnants of sanitary products. There are remnants of sewage there so even interacting with the land that’s been impacted by the sewage spill carries risks,” she warned.
