D.C. Water plans to begin emergency rehabilitation work on a deteriorating section of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line in Potomac, Maryland, to protect drinking water intakes for WSSC Water and the Washington Aqueduct.
In a release, D.C. Water said starting Monday, June 15, crews will begin repairing 1,700 linear feet of the sewer line at Muddy Branch near Pennyfield Lock 鈥� known as Lock 22 on the C&O Canal.
“Inspections found structural deterioration, including significant corrosion and exposed rebar that requires immediate attention,” according to D.C. Water.
The Jan. 19 failure of the 54-mile Potomac Interceptor spilled approximately 240 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River.
The spill occurred along Clara Barton Parkway, inside the Beltway, downstream of all the main drinking water intakes for the three local water companies 鈥� WSSC Water, Washington Aqueduct and Fairfax Water.
However, a spill at the site of the emergency repairs would jeopardize the Maryland and D.C. drinking water intakes.
Despite the deterioration, D.C. Water said the most compromised portion听of the pipe is fully encased in concrete, which lowers the likelihood of a failure. Other sections also have a protective concrete cap for added structural support.听
D.C. Water said it notified WSSC Water in mid-April that conditions in this section warranted high-priority emergency repairs and has been briefing the utility on its plans.听
Crews are now conducting twice-weekly visual inspections and installing monitoring equipment that can detect changes in flow that could signal a leak or structural failure.听
鈥淎s soon as we identified the severity of the deterioration in this section of the interceptor, we moved quickly to put monitoring and protective measures in place and advance an emergency repair,鈥� said Matt Brown, D.C. Water鈥檚 chief operating officer.
鈥淲e understand the public concern and are monitoring conditions closely, coordinating with our partners, and taking every step we can to reduce risk and protect public water supplies, public health and the environment.鈥�听
Tree trimming and brush clearing are already underway, and construction is expected to continue through the end of September 2026.
To facilitate the rehabilitation of the deteriorated section, D.C. Water will build an above-ground bypass pipeline and pumping system to move wastewater around the work area and return flow to the Interceptor.
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