Virginia Boater Sues DC Water Over Potomac River Sewage Spill

Class action lawsuit seeks compensation for property owners, businesses, and recreational users impacted by the January leak.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A Virginia resident and recreational boater has filed a class action lawsuit against DC Water, the Washington utility that owns the pipe that ruptured and spilled millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River in January. The lawsuit alleges DC Water was negligent in maintaining the aging pipeline and seeks compensation for those whose property, businesses, and recreational use of the river were impacted by the environmental disaster.

Why it matters

The Potomac River sewage spill has been a major environmental and political issue, with the collapse of the DC Water pipe sparking a dispute between the Trump administration and Maryland officials. This lawsuit represents the first major legal action taken by those directly affected by the spill, which has threatened the river's ecosystem and disrupted businesses and recreational activities along its shores.

The details

The class action lawsuit was filed on Friday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland by Dr. Nicholas Lailas, a Virginia resident and recreational boater on the Potomac. The suit alleges DC Water, as the owner and operator of the ruptured Potomac Interceptor pipe, failed to properly maintain the aging infrastructure and prevent the foreseeable harm caused by the January 19th collapse. Preliminary data indicates thousands of people, including property owners, businesses, and recreational users, may be eligible to join the class seeking damages.

  • The Potomac Interceptor pipe ruptured on January 19, 2026, spilling 250 million gallons of raw sewage into the river.
  • On February 18, 2026, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser declared an emergency and requested federal assistance from President Trump to address the spill.
  • The class action lawsuit was filed on March 6, 2026 in U.S. District Court.

The players

Dr. Nicholas Lailas

A Virginia resident and recreational boater on the Potomac River who is the plaintiff in the class action lawsuit against DC Water.

DC Water

The Washington utility that owns and operates the Potomac Interceptor pipe that ruptured, causing the major sewage spill into the river.

Muriel Bowser

The mayor of Washington, D.C. who declared an emergency and requested federal assistance to address the Potomac River sewage spill.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who approved emergency federal assistance for Washington, D.C. to help address the Potomac River sewage spill.

Andrew Levetown

The attorney representing the plaintiff, Dr. Nicholas Lailas, in the class action lawsuit against DC Water.

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What they’re saying

“You're going to have businesses who lose business because instead of sitting next to the Potomac, their clients are sitting next to the open sewer.”

— Andrew Levetown, Attorney for the plaintiff (wbal.com)

“We are seeing indication that this incident may have been highly unusual.”

— David Gadis, CEO of DC Water (wbal.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on whether to certify the class action lawsuit in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This lawsuit represents the first major legal action taken by those directly impacted by the Potomac River sewage spill, underscoring the significant environmental and economic damage caused by DC Water's failure to properly maintain its aging infrastructure. The outcome of this case could set an important precedent for how utilities are held accountable for such environmental disasters.