DC Water and its contractors are now working between locks 13 and 14 in the C & O Canal to vacuum out sludge and muck left behind by the bypass pumping system, that directed wastewater around the damaged Potomac Interceptor and back into the pipe further downstream. The freshwater dam at Lock 14, is now complete, and water is being pumped into the canal to help flush out the sludge and debris, for the initial cleanup. Work is progressing on the initial phase of environmental rehabilitation near Lock 10 of the canal. The clean-up has been underway since flow was restored to the interceptor on ... Read More

While DC Water has completed the emergency repair of the Potomac Interceptor, we are committed to transparent communication with the community who still have questions about the work and ongoing environmental rehabilitation efforts. As part of this open dialogue, we are reminding community members of additional opportunities to engage with DC Water at two community meetings this week: tomorrow, March 18, in Bethesda, MD and Thursday, March 19, in Alexandria, VA.

DC Water completed the emergency repair on the damaged pipe and returned flow to the interceptor on Saturday, March 14. Work is now ...

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After three days of stable operations following completion of emergency repairs to restore flow to the Potomac Interceptor, the bypass pumping system is being demobilized. Crews have begun disassembling the bypass pipes and removing them from the upstream section of the interceptor, where pumps were used to divert wastewater around the collapse site and back into the interceptor further downstream. DC Water and its contractors continue to remove sludge and debris from the C & O Canal as part of the initial environmental rehabilitation and clean-up. The initial phase of environmental ... Read More