Trump Orders Federal Response to Potomac Sewage Spill
In a social media post on Monday, Trump ordered authorities to "immediately provide all necessary Management, Direction, and Coordination to protect the Potomac," claiming local leaders had turned the river "into a Disaster Zone."
A section of a sewer line in Maryland collapsed in late January, producing what public health experts describe as one of the largest sewage spills in US history. The Potomac River flows from West Virginia through Maryland and Washington to the Chesapeake Bay.
Trump said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), would lead the response. However, he noted that FEMA’s funding is currently frozen after DHS ran out of money last week due to a standoff between Republican and Democratic lawmakers. A new DHS spending bill is not expected until at least the end of the month.
The rupture occurred on January 19 in the Potomac Interceptor sewer line, managed by the DC Water and Sewer Authority. The break caused an "uncontrolled overflow of wastewater into the Potomac River," according to DC Water, and crews have been working around the clock to contain the spill.
Washington and Maryland officials said the contamination has not affected drinking water but still advised the public to avoid the river. Testing has revealed concentrations of E. coli and MRSA bacteria, which local researchers warn can pose serious health risks.
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