Begin forwarded message:
From: Potomac Riverkeeper Network <vr@prknetwork.org>
Date: February 5, 2026 at 12:47:20 PM EST
To: Greg <gsfeder@yahoo.com>
Subject: February *Special Edition* River Report
Reply-To: Potomac Riverkeeper Network <vr@prknetwork.org>
February *Special Edition* River Report
Massive and Heartbreaking Sewage Spill
What Happened?
Photo Credit: Burton "Burr" Gray
On January 19, a six-foot diameter 60-year-old sewage pipe near Lock 10 ruptured and raw sewage surged into the Potomac River at the rate of 40 million gallons a day. Mac Thornton, former board member, and Burton "Burr" Gray, long-time PRKN supporter, got videos and photos to Dean Naujoks, Potomac Riverkeeper, and the battle was joined.
Dean promptly got to the scene and realized the dangers. He, with Mac and Burr, got the news media quickly involved to inform the public. Then, Dean and Evan Quinter, PRKN Water Quality and Volunteer Coordinator, obtained water samples for testing. The E. Coli numbers at the site were nearly 12,000 times higher than safe for human contact. Even downriver, the numbers were stratospheric.
The news gets worse: on January 23, Maryland officials issued a shellfish harvesting closure – 70 miles downriver. Good job, Maryland, for appreciating the gravity of the problem! Why hasn't DC Water nor the DC Government done any testing or implemented any public health advisories?
Although DC Water insisted no threat to public health, we have yet to see the results of any testing to verify that. Their temporary solution to the catastrophe: pump the raw sewage into the C&O Canal.
Photo Credit: Burton "Burr" Gray
Hundreds of millions of raw sewage has entered the Potomac – and it all could have been avoided by better monitoring and maintenance of these antiquated sewer pipes! And better accountability from DC Water. To put in a different perspective, one day of discharge would fill 2666 Olympic ice skating rinks – think of that as you watch the Milan Olympics.
The reporting on this story has been everywhere. PRKN has been featured in over 50 news stories in media outlets around the world: AP, CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, WUSA, WRC, Manila Post (we're not making that up), just to name a few. The pairs of eyes reached numbers in the millions, thanks to Dean's willingness to engage with the news media. We are also grateful to Ashley Flores, PRKN's Digital Marketing and Communications Manager, for her appearance on Telemundo 44 – Washington DC's Spanish language affiliate associated with local WRC. She was able to reach the region's large Hispanic and Latino community for this important story.
Too many links to add here; instead, just google "Naujoks sewage spill Potomac 2026" and you will get plenty. He even got a shoutout – by name – from Stephen Colbert on the Late Show. And our social media presence has dramatically expanded – nearly 3,000 new followers and over 1.5 million views across our social media platforms since the news broke.
Dean and Evan made several site visits — and continue doing so — and additional testing which showed remarkably high levels of E. Coli bacterial contamination. On January 28, they were joined by some topnotch University of Maryland researchers who specialize in sewage analysis. They did further testing for other pathogens and early measurements indicate even more potentially serious consequences to this spill. More on that to come.
Check out our press release about the data confirming the devastating impact on water quality.
We Need Your Help!
For the last two weeks, PRKN has been boots on the ground documenting this crisis, keeping you up to date, and collecting water samples for hard data – doing the job local public health agencies should be doing. But these costs add up fast, and we're footing the bill.
By making a donation today, you become part of a bigger movement – one that shows you the impact of your dollars. With members like you by our side, we can respond rapidly to emergency events like this, ensure responsible parties are held accountable, and protect our waterways by all means necessary.
Your donation helps our rapid response efforts:
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A GIFT FOR OUR RIVER!
What's Next?
This disaster is a complete failure of infrastructure. The 60-year-old sewer pipe was scheduled for work last year, and the money was appropriated, but nothing was done.
Now, we have no idea when contact with the river will be safe – the contaminants may be frozen in place so that when a thaw occurs, the temporary minimization of pollution could reappear.
DC Water and the DC government cannot be allowed to try to persuade us that diverting the flow into the C&O Canal is the fix and the end.
Authorities must – absolutely must – take all the corrective action necessary to assure us that the river is safe again and that this kind of disaster cannot recur.
Stay Connected - Follow Our Social Media
for All the Fun and News!
EarthShare # 87828 * CFC # 87828
Copyright (C) 2026 Potomac Riverkeeper Network. All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
3070 M Street NW Washington, DC 20007
Telephone: (202) 888-2037
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe
0 comments:
Post a Comment