This January, a massive sewage pipeline collapsed near Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County. The pipe failure caused millions of gallons of raw sewage to dump into the Potomac River over the course of several days. The pipeline has since been repaired and the flow to the Potomac has stopped. E. Coli levels have also returned to normal and water recreation bans around the region have been lifted.
A new investigation from the Washington Post reveals the spill came as a result of years of delayed maintenance to the 54-mile long pipeline. Investigative reporter Aaron Davis says that D.C. Water was aware of eroding sections of the pipeline for years, but repairs were delayed due to environmental reviews by the National Park Service. Davis sat down with WAMU’s Tamika Smith to share more of what he learned.
The post Years of delayed maintenance preceded Potomac River sewage spill appeared first on WAMU.
Published Date : 2026-04-07 17:18:00
Source : wamu.org
