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3h ago

Trump Approves Emergency Aid for Potomac Sewage Spill as FEMA Mobilizes, EPA Takes Lead

The move follows a January sewer collapse that released roughly 243 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac.

Untreated sewage spills out of the collapsed Potomac Interceptor sewer line next to the Clara Barton Parkway in Bethesda, Maryland, on January 23, 2026.
D.C. Water has established a command center where a massive pipe rupture is sending raw sewage into the Potomac River, in Glen Echo, Md., Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
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Overview

  • FEMA will coordinate assistance for Washington, D.C., and areas in Maryland and Virginia where the district has responsibilities, with eligible emergency costs generally covered at a 75% federal share.
  • The Environmental Protection Agency has been designated to direct the technical response, and FEMA named Mark K. O’Hanlon as the Federal Coordinating Officer.
  • DC Water reports no additional overflows since Feb. 8–9, a temporary bypass has been in place since Jan. 24, and officials say drinking water remains safe though recreational advisories persist near the rupture.
  • Emergency repairs are underway with weeks of work expected for stabilization and longer-term rehabilitation anticipated to take months, according to DC Water and federal briefings.
  • DC Water estimates cleanup and repair costs at about $20 million as House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans seek documents on prior risk assessments and emergency contract actions for the Potomac Interceptor.