EPA, DOJ sue DC Water over Potomac Interceptor collapse

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division have filed a complaint against District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority alleging Clean Water Act violations tied to the January 2026 collapse of the Potomac Interceptor.

The complaint alleges DC Water discharged raw sewage into the Potomac River without authorization, failed to maintain critical sewer infrastructure and did not adequately mitigate environmental impacts following the collapse. The incident released hundreds of millions of gallons of untreated sewage before a federal response brought the situation under control by mid-March.

“When the Potomac Interceptor collapsed, President Trump called on EPA to lead the federal response and we delivered," said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in a press release. "We moved fast, led the cleanup, and protected the waters that flow past the landmarks defining our nation's capital. Now we're making sure nothing like this ever happens again. Today's action, partnering with Acting AG Blanche and DOJ, holds the responsible parties accountable, and under President Trump's leadership, EPA will keep championing clean water and real results for the American people."

The lawsuit seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief requiring DC Water to address system deficiencies and prevent future failures. The Potomac Interceptor is a 54-mile pipeline that conveys approximately 60 million gallons of wastewater per day to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant.

“The neglect and collapse of the Potomac Interceptor threatened the national waterway flowing by and serving our nation’s capital," said Jeffrey Hall, EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, in a press release. "Pollution that jeopardizes core federal interests warrants federal enforcement. This judicial action serves as the necessary next step in the federal response to the collapse of the Potomac Interceptor and will help prevent future collapses. It is another step toward fulfilling this Administration’s promise to secure clean water for all Americans, no less those in our seat of government."

EPA also noted that temporary diversion efforts using the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal were insufficient to fully contain the release, with untreated sewage continuing to reach the Potomac River following the initial overflow.