D.C. Mayor Declares Emergency Over Potomac River Sewage Spill

Bowser seeks federal funding and support to address the environmental disaster.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has declared a local public emergency over a massive sewage spill into the Potomac River, allowing her to request a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration that could bring in federal aid and resources to help respond to the crisis.

Why it matters

The sewage spill has poured over 240 million gallons of raw waste into the Potomac River, creating dangerous levels of E. coli and prompting hazmat protocols for water rescues. The emergency declaration aims to secure federal funding and coordination to address the environmental disaster.

The details

Mayor Bowser's emergency declaration requests 100% reimbursement for costs incurred by the District and DC Water, as well as support for enhanced water quality monitoring, testing, and other preventative measures. This comes after District officials met with the Environmental Protection Agency at the White House. Repairing the pipeline source of the overflow is estimated to take 4-6 weeks, but additional work at the site could last up to 9 months.

  • The sewage spill began pouring into the Potomac River.
  • District officials met with the EPA at the White House on Wednesday.
  • Mayor Bowser declared a local public emergency on February 19, 2026.

The players

Muriel Bowser

The mayor of Washington, D.C. who declared a local public emergency over the Potomac River sewage spill.

DC Water

The water utility responsible for the sewage infrastructure that experienced the major overflow into the Potomac River.

Environmental Protection Agency

The federal agency that met with District officials to coordinate the response to the environmental disaster.

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What they’re saying

“The request seeks 100% reimbursement for costs incurred by the District and DC Water and also requests support in other areas including but not limited to improving coordination between affected states, D.C. and federal agencies as the response continues, enhanced water quality monitoring, and testing and other preventative measures.”

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (NBC Washington)

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow the pipeline repair work to begin immediately, which could speed up the timeline for stopping the ongoing sewage overflow.

The takeaway

This emergency declaration highlights the critical need for federal support and coordination to address major environmental disasters like this sewage spill, which threatens public health and the local ecosystem. Securing the necessary funding and resources will be key to mitigating the long-term impacts.