EMERGENCY WATER OUTAGE
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Emergency Water Outage
Feb 07, 2026 | 04:00 PM

Emergency Water Outage
Feb 07, 2026 | 03:00 PM

Road Closures on Rock Creek Parkway Begin the Week of January 17

January 20, 2016

Beginning the week of Sunday, January 17, 2016 through Thursday, March 31, 2016, weather permitting, there will be intermittent road closures on Rock Creek Parkway northbound, within the vicinity of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, at 2700 F Street, NW. These road closures will be very short in duration, and will primarily occur between the hours of 9:00pm and 5:00am.

The closures will be implemented to accommodate increased truck traffic in the area during inspection and heavy cleaning of the Upper Potomac Interceptor Relief Sewer near the Kennedy Center. DC Water crews will be accessing the sewer via one manhole located in the Kennedy Center’s south parking lot. As the project moves forward, there will be increased truck traffic between the sewer access point and the construction staging area on 27th Street, NW between I Street, NW and K Street, NW.

Important Information:
* There will be intermittent road closures on Rock Creek Parkway northbound within the vicinity of the Kennedy Center.
* Traffic control measures will be set up to maintain public safety and assist in directing hauling and other vehicular traffic in and around the work zone.
* Some traffic stops and delays within the vicinity of the work zone are anticipated.

To keep everyone safe, motorists should stay alert and obey the posted speed limits when traveling through this area. DC Water is working closely with the National Park Service and District Department of Transportation to ensure minimal disruption during this work.

Project Details
Beginning Monday, January 4, 2016 through Thursday, March 31, 2016, weather permitting, DC Water will be inspecting and cleaning the sewer main near the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, at 2700 F Street, NW. This major trunk sewer ranges in diameter from 92-156 inches and carries flows into the District from multiple jurisdictions, starting from Dulles, and picking up portions of Loudoun and Fairfax Counties in Virginia, as well as portions of Maryland along the Potomac River. This work is being performed to alleviate future overflows, and also to prolong the life of the sewer. Construction operations will continue 24 hours, to include weekends and holidays.

Work activities will include inspection and cleaning of 3,200 linear feet of sewer pipe within the project area, removal of 40,000 cubic feet of debris from the sewer, and regular monitoring and removal of debris collecting at the Potomac Pumping Station upstream of the sewer. DC Water is working cooperatively to minimize the effects of the heavy cleaning work on the Kennedy Center’s adjacent construction project.

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About DC Water
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water), is an industry leading multi-jurisdictional regional utility that provides drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment to 600,000 residential, commercial and governmental customers in the District of Columbia, 17.8 million annual visitors and also collects and treats wastewater for 1.6 million customers in Montgomery and Prince Georges counties in Maryland and Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia.

DC Water’s service area covers approximately 725 square miles and the company operates the world’s largest advanced wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 370 million gallons per day and a peak capacity of 1.076 billion gallons per day.

Latest News

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DC Water and its contractors continue to make progress constructing new access points to the Potomac Interceptor, one upstream of the damaged section, and an additional entry downstream to divert more wastewater flow from the pipe. These access points will allow crews to install a bulkhead, blocking flow in the pipe upstream of the collapsed area, keeping the site as dry as possible so crews can safely remove an extensive rock dam currently blocking the pipe.

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DC Water is releasing new findings regarding the environmental impacts following the January 19, collapse in a section of the Potomac Interceptor. Based on flow monitoring data collected before and after interim bypass pumping was activated, DC Water estimates approximately 243 million gallons of wastewater has overflowed from the collapse site.

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Upcoming Meeting

Board of Directors Meeting

April 24, 2023

Monday 9:00 AM

Announcement

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New Path for Capital Crescent Trail Opens at Georgetown Waterfront Park

DC CLEAN RIVERS – POTOMAC RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT
If you bike, drive, or walk through Georgetown, we’ve got changes starting this week around the Potomac River Tunnel construction on Water Street NW. The Capital Crescent Trail has a new temporary detour through Georgetown Waterfront Park, open now for cyclists between 33rd and Potomac streets NW.

Latest Blog Post
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When one of your major sewer lines runs through the Potomac River, a backhoe and trencher won't do. That's why we've got helicopters carrying a 14-ton drill and workers suspended midair over the Potomac.
Upcoming Meeting
Date
February 19, 2026
Thursday, 9:30 AM

Upcoming Events

Customer Service Center Announcement

Payment Plan Incentive: provides a credit back of 40% of the last 3 payments made and in the new fiscal year 50% will be credited. Eligible participants are residential customers who have had an outstanding balance for 60 days or greater and with an outstanding balance of $500 or more.