What to Know About the Potomac Sewage Spill

Authorities say it could take four to six weeks to repair the broken sewer pipe.

Repair work continues on the broken section of the Potomac Interceptor, a six-foot-wide sewage pipe that collapsed, releasing nearly 250 million gallons of raw sewage, on Jan. 19, in between the Clara Barton Parkway and the C&O Canal in Cabin John, Md., on Feb. 16, 2026. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A collapsed sewage pipe spilled hundreds of millions of gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River in January, resulting in an ongoing environmental disaster. Although utility workers have managed to mitigate further leaks, full repairs are expected to take weeks.

President Donald Trump responded this week by calling for more decisive action from local leadership.