Potomac Conservancy responds to leadership change at DC Water
/An important moment to correct course and restore public trust in the region’s water safety
Spill site along the C&O canal, may 2026
Statement from Potomac Conservancy | June 5, 2026
In response to DC Water Board’s decision to remove its CEO, Mr. Gadis
The Potomac Interceptor failure that began on January 19, 2026, contaminated the Potomac River with over 240 million gallons of raw sewage. The unprecedented incident on our “nation’s river” led to one of the most significant sewage spills in US history. The Potomac region continues to deal with the fallout from this preventable disaster.
“From the outset of this crisis, we’ve said the pipe wasn’t the only thing that collapsed. Public trust in our water safety collapsed, too,” said Hedrick Belin, President of Potomac Conservancy.
Potomac Conservancy has consistently recognized the heroic efforts of DC Water’s emergency and engineering crews, but community concerns about water safety and future prevention have remained unresolved. Nearly two dozen environmental organizations and over 2,100 residents signed on to our February 9 letter to DC Water’s leadership calling for greater accountability, transparency, meaningful public engagement, and a strong long-term recovery plan.
Unfortunately, DC Water failed to meet the moment. Four months after the pipe collapsed, and critical questions remain unanswered:
Why imminent infrastructure failure was not fully understood.
Why repair plans were not approved for 8 years.
Why emergency declarations took so long.
Why agencies failed to act with urgency before the collapse.
Why long-term restoration planning is not being prioritized.
Our community deserves answers about the systemic failures that allowed critical infrastructure to deteriorate to the point of collapse in the first place.
Today's decision by DC Water’s Board to change leadership does not, by itself, address those concerns. Restoring public trust will require more than a personnel decision. It will require a demonstrated commitment to openness, real accountability, and responsible action to restore trust in the safety of the Potomac, the source of drinking water for over 5 million people.
“Potomac Conservancy hopes this leadership change marks a turning point,” stated Belin adding, “We look forward to working with the DC Water Board and new leadership to rebuild confidence for the communities that depend on a clean and healthy Potomac River.”
The Conservancy and the CLEAR Potomac coalition will continue to advocate for prevention measures, strong long-term river recovery strategies, increased access to economic relief programs, and expanded water quality testing.
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