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.

1. What caused the initial pipeline rupture?
   
   
2. When was either DC Water or DOEE notified of the rupture? Who was the lead responding agency and has that changed throughout the response?
   
   
3. 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?
   
   
4. 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?
   
   
5. At this early stage, what are the possible long-term impacts of hundreds of millions of gallons of contaminated water entering the Potomac River?
   
   
6. 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?
   
   
7. On January 27^th, 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?
   
   
8. 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?
   
   
9. What is the permanent solution to ensure that the rupture is capped?

While responding to a sewage release of this size is burdensome and our 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 our region’s primary waterway.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6
Chair, Committee on Transportation and the Environment 

Cc:      

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