Update on Extended Repairs, Safety Measures, and Water Quality Monitoring

Overnight CCTV inspection of the Potomac Interceptor revealed the blockage inside the collapsed sewer line is far more significant, showing a large rock dam stretching approximately 30 feet downstream of the original failure.

DC Water and its contractor are working to clean debris from a damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor, a sanitary sewer line that collapsed on January 19, along Clara Barton Parkway and the 495 interchange and the C & O Canal National Historical Park. While limited overflows occurred earlier in the week, no overflows from the site were reported today. Here is an update on the cleaning and repair efforts underway:

Containment Efforts

Potomac Interceptor Overflow UpdateTuesday, February 3, 2026

 Work to clean and repair the damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor continues, though progress is being slowed by large boulders and rocks inside the pipe. Meanwhile, increased flow from groundwater infiltration attributed to snowmelt, along with periodic clogging of the bypass pumps, at times, resulted in minor overflows near the collapse site. To address these issues, crews are constructing an earthen dam in the nearby stormwater ditch to contain these minor overflows.

The 72-inch section of the sewer line collapsed along Clara ...