Waster water is still spilling into the Potomac River
WASHINGTON (7News) — Efforts are underway to halt a sewage spill contaminating the Potomac River following a sewage pipe collapse near the Clara Barton Parkway at the Beltway.
The break, first reported by 7News in January, remains unresolved as DC Water continues to grapple with repairs.
RELATED | DC Water progressing with sewer overflow repair along Potomac and Clara Barton Parkway
Recent research from the University of Maryland and Dean Naujoks of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network highlights the severity of the contamination.
Testing conducted at the end of January revealed bacteria and E. coli levels at 10,000 and 1.5 times above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.
Naujoks warned, “The snow and ice can definitely lead to a release later of other bacteria that can get stored in the ice, and then it can get released and reactivate as the water warms. If this stuff starts melting, and there’s a release, we can be dealing with these concerning levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the river for many weeks to come.”
DC Water reports that more than 420 million gallons of sewage overflowed. While a bypass system is redirecting sewage back into the sewer system, spills persist.
Sherri Lewis from DC Water noted, “So this overflow has been mostly contained since January 24. We’ve had some limited overflow that’s occurred with everything trending down, so yes, there’s still a risk to some overflow here; it’s very minimal.”
RELATED | Clara Barton Parkway reopens after it was closed for emergency pothole repairs
Testing by DC Water this week indicates that bacteria and E. coli levels are within EPA standards downstream of the break site, but remain elevated near the drainage site.
The presence of a large rock is complicating repair efforts, which may take four to six weeks to complete. The Potomac Riverkeeper Network stresses the urgency of resolving the issue to prevent further bacterial contamination.