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Massive Sewage Pipe Collapse Pollutes Potomac River

1/23/2026

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Story summary
  • A 72-inch sewage pipe collapsed in Montgomery County, Maryland, releasing wastewater into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., creating a public health risk.
  • District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) deployed pumps to divert sewage, speed repairs, and warn people to avoid the area after the rupture.
  • Environmentalist Dean Naujoks described the scene as horrific and noted that sewage bubbled up like a geyser.