DC Water is preparing for emergency repairs on a large sewer line next to Rock Creek, after discovering significant structural issues. The six-foot pipeline, known as the Rock Creek Main Interceptor, carries as much as 100 million gallons of wastewater a day and could cause significant environmental harm if a failure occurred.
DC CLEAN RIVERS – POTOMAC RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT
Beginning on or about May 8, 2025, DC Water will begin work to locate and mark underground utilities on K Street Northwest between 29th and 30th streets Northwest. The work, which involves drilling small holes, will require temporary lane and parking closures and parking restrictions.
As part of the excavation work for DC Water’s Potomac River Tunnel Project, weekly controlled underground blasting operations at the West Potomac Park construction site will begin as early as next week and continue through February 2026. The site is located along the Potomac River at Ohio Drive and Independence Avenue Southwest.
Contractor to perform inspections in area of 54-inch sewer main failure
DC Water in coordination with the District Department of Transportation will perform emergency work on Suitland Parkway Southeast near Stanton Road starting tonight as early as 7 p.m. and ending tomorrow morning at 5 a.m. Crews will be inspecting additional sections of a 54-inch stormwater main that failed last month.
Her name is Mary and she’s a tunnel boring machine (TBM) capable of cutting through hard rock and boring a tunnel 21 feet in width. This month, she completed factory acceptance testing in Germany and will head across the pond to DC to start work on the Potomac River Tunnel.
DC Water’s efforts to build a more resilient water supply took a significant step forward with the announcement today of Rabia Chaudhry, PhD, PE, as the first Director of Water Supply Resilience. The new position reflects the importance and urgency surrounding the Authority’s reliance on the Potomac River as its only water source and the need for alternatives.
Beginning the week of April 21, 2025, DC Water will implement temporary traffic lane closures near Georgetown University’s Canal Road Northwest entrance to identify and mark underground utilities for the Potomac River Tunnel Project. The work is expected to take 3-5 weeks to complete, depending on weather conditions.
DC Water and its engineers will conduct an emergency inspection of a 78-inch sewer pipe located next to the Clara Barton Parkway. This follows an incident where a contractor working in the area accidentally drilled into the Potomac Interceptor sewer line, which transports 60 million gallons of wastewater each day.
It’s that time of year, when you start your spring cleaning and DC Water does too! Beginning on March 24 through May 4, we’ll be disinfecting our 1300 miles of water lines. It’s part of routine maintenance every spring to keep the pipes clean and free of any harmful bacteria.
DC Water crews are investigating a sinkhole located at the exit to South Dakota Avenue Northeast inbound from New York Avenue/Route 50. Due to the instability of the road, the exit is closed, and traffic is being diverted to alternate routes.
