Potomac Conservancy statement: The Potomac Interceptor pipe collapsed, and so has public trust. DC Water failed to respond to our Feb 9 demands for answers and actions
/Potomac Conservancy has been waiting 21 days for a response from DC Water
Taken on Feb. 16, 2026
For 42 days and counting, our community has been forced to live with an open sewage flow in Montgomery County, Maryland that has contaminated the Potomac River and the C&O Canal. In what is now considered the largest sewage spill in U.S. history, over 200 million gallons of wastewater in the Potomac prompted health advisories and shut down safe recreation and fish consumption.
Potomac Conservancy submitted a letter to DC Water on February 9, 2026 requesting clear answers and actions to address several areas of concern. These demands are amplified by over 2,100 residents and 21 environmental leaders and organizations who signed our letter, and the 42,000 river supporters we proudly represent. As of our February 27, 2026 deadline we have only received confirmation of receipt of our letter. We are deeply disappointed and frustrated that DC Water has not provided a comprehensive written response that fully addressed the issues raised.
While we await a response, one thing has become abundantly clear: The Potomac Interceptor collapsed and so has public trust.
As stewards of the Potomac River, we share many of the concerns echoed in myriad inquiries and comments from the community:
Absent leadership when it mattered most
Silence instead of swift, transparent public communication
No (public) request for state or federal backup
Six weeks without face-to-face community engagement
No commitment to an independent investigation
No timely response to our February 9 letter
Public trust and confidence have been further eroded by unproductive political rhetoric and finger pointing from federal and state officials during this initial crisis phase. This only intensifies the urgency to correct course and rebuild public trust in our water infrastructure leadership.
Since our submission, we acknowledge progress in responsiveness and community engagement from DC Water: There has not been an overflow event at the site since February 9; they have started daily water site testing and added two new sites at nearby Sycamore and Minnie’s Islands; they have released more information about the locations and first phase of remediation; they held a stakeholder call with environmental groups on Feb 25; and they hosted their first set of community meetings on February 25 and 26 in the District and Bethesda, Maryland.
These actions are steps in the right direction, but they do not go far enough to restore public trust. With proper remediation and long-term clean-up commitments, we are optimistic the Potomac River will recover in due time, but the damage to its reputation will have lasting impacts. Our fishing industry, shoreline businesses, anglers, recreational outfitters, and river lovers of all walks of life are and will continue to experience the ripple effects of this preventable disaster.
DC Water must act with expediency and transparency to restore public trust.
Today, Potomac Conservancy calls on DC Water to provide answers to our February 9, 2026 requests and urges its leadership to rebuild public trust with:
Visible and regular public access to leadership;
Independent third-party investigation to identify root cause(s) and recommendations for system changes;
Sustained water quality testing through summer at sites informed by community input;
Greater community input into environmental remediation plans; and
Comprehensive short- and long-term environmental impact studies.
As we stated in our letter, we appreciate the tireless efforts of DC Water’s engineers and on-site crews who are working around the clock to restore full flow to the Interceptor pipe system. We have enjoyed a great working relationship with DC Water as they have taken significant measures to reduce sewage overflows in the Potomac River through their Clean Rivers Project, a success that we were proud to champion in our 2025 Potomac River Report Card release in November 2025.
It’s for these reasons that we are disheartened to be met with no response and no committed date to respond.
Potomac Conservancy has been leading conservation and advocacy efforts to restore clean water to the Potomac River for over thirty years. We stand ready to work together on the Potomac’s recovery, but we must see stronger collaboration from DC Water with our local and regional environmental community to realize this shared goal.
We look forward to DC Water rising to meet this moment. Together, we will: Rebuild the pipe with proper investment, restore public trust, and return clean, safe water to the Potomac and our community.
With the media?
Contact Alyssa Murray at murray@potomac.org
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We’re still awaiting a response from DC Water to our February 9 letter from us and 2,100 signatories. Our community deserves answers, transparency, and real action.