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Maryland Sues DC Water Over Massive Sewage Spill
21 Apr
Summary
- Maryland is suing DC Water for a 243 million gallon sewage spill.
- The state seeks penalties and cleanup costs for the Potomac River contamination.
- DC Water allegedly knew about pipe corrosion for over a decade.
Maryland is pursuing legal action against DC Water, the utility responsible for a significant raw sewage spill into the Potomac River. The lawsuit, filed recently, seeks civil penalties and reimbursement for cleanup expenses incurred by the state. Maryland officials assert that DC Water neglected known issues with its aging sewage infrastructure.
The Potomac Interceptor line, constructed in the 1960s, ruptured in January, releasing an estimated 243 million gallons of raw sewage over eight days. Investigations revealed DC Water had been aware of the pipeline's corrosion since at least 2011 but delayed necessary repairs. This negligence led to environmental damage, including elevated E. coli levels that necessitated public health advisories.
Maryland's legal action demands that DC Water cover all past and future cleanup costs, including water testing and monitoring. Furthermore, the state seeks an injunction compelling DC Water to halt further discharges and restore the affected natural resources. The company's repair project for the Potomac Interceptor system began in fiscal year 2025, over a decade after the initial corrosion was identified, and repairs are expected to take up to nine months.
