EMERGENCY WATER OUTAGE
Feb 19, 2026 | 10:00 PM

EMERGENCY WATER OUTAGE
Feb 19, 2026 | 10:00 PM

Sinkhole at 17th Street, NW, Diverts Traffic for Sewer Repairs

January 24, 2019
Sewer Repairs

DC Water crews remain on the scene of a hole that opened in the roadway at 17thand D Streets, NW. DC Water is currently continuing excavations and shoring of a trench to expose a 39” x 58” sewer that was damaged.

The repairs are expected to take close to a week and require road closures as follows:

  • 17th Street, between C and E Streets, NW; and
  • D Street, between 15th and 17th Streets, NW

A DC Water sewer investigator yesterday determined that a section of an egg-shaped 39” by 58” sewer line was crushed when concrete fell on it.
 
So far, the PEPCO lines involved have been de-energized of their 230,000 volts of electricity. There are no other utilities affected, but the repair is complex. Once the sewer damage is exposed and assessed, repairs can begin. After the repair, PEPCO will return to restore the power lines, which will be followed by the restoration of the roadway.
 
DC Water will provide updates throughout the process, which may take up to a week or more. The intersection remains closed to vehicular traffic at this time.

Latest News

Collapse site with workers inside

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser Visits Site as Crews Make Progress on Repairs

DC Water has successfully reached the damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor, marking a critical step in the ongoing damage assessment and repair efforts. Crews today are manually digging out the affected area, carefully removing sludge, soil, and debris from the collapsed pipe.

Image of the collapse site drained of water

Efforts to isolate the damaged section of pipe are moving forward. Engineers are on site and preparations are underway to permanently install a steel bulkhead gate that will cut off flow to the collapse site in combination with an enhanced bypass pumping system that will continue to divert wastewater around the failure and into the Potomac Interceptor further downstream. Once fully activated, the system will allow contractors to begin stabilizing the area around the break and initiate excavation down to the damaged pipe and rock dam.

Enhanced bypass with pumps and bulkhead gate in position

Potomac Interceptor Collapse Update
Tuesday, February 17, 2026

  • No overflow events impacting surface waters were reported overnight. No overflow events impacting surface waters have been reported since ...

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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.

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