The Department of Justice filed a complaint Monday in federal court against the city of Washington, D.C., and its water and sewer authority, seeking financial penalties for their role in a leak that led to millions of gallons of raw sewage spilling into the Potomac River.
The complaint stems from a massive leak in a 72-inch pipeline, called the Potomac Interceptor. The pipe collapsed Jan. 19, shooting sewage out of the ground and into the river just north of Washington in Montgomery County, Maryland. The leak spilled 244 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River.
The local water authority, DC Water, said it knew the pipe, first installed in the 1960s, was deteriorating, and rehabilitation work on a section about a quarter mile from the break began in September and was recently completed.
The complaint alleges that DC Water failed to properly operate and maintain its sewer system in a manner that keeps untreated sewage out of the Potomac River and tributaries, and other areas with risk of human contact.
"DC Water's failure to maintain the Potomac Interceptor resulted in raw sewage flowing into the Potomac River and the surrounding environment, posing a direct risk to public health," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson in a statement. "As cities grow and infrastructure ages, cities must invest in their wastewater system to prevent such catastrophes."
The complaint was one of two filed against DC Water on Monday. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown filed a separate action in Montgomery County Circuit Court seeking civil penalties and damages for costs from the contamination of the river.
"The utility must take full responsibility for the damage caused and take immediate and lasting action to prevent future spills," said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain in a statement.
DC Water said in a statement that it was "fully committed to the long-term rehabilitation" of the Potomac Interceptor. The agency added that its highest priority was to contain the overflow and repair the damaged section of the pipe, which it did in fully stopping "all discharges to the Potomac River within 21 days. The repairs of the affected segment were completed in 55 days. DC Water is working now to accelerate the rehabilitation of more than 2,700 linear feet of pipeline in this area that was previously scheduled for improvement."
The statement declared that both lawsuits were "under review."
The leak sparked political recriminations from President Donald Trump — who blamed local Democrat leaders, focusing especially on Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared an emergency in February and asked Trump for help. He issued an emergency declaration days later that provided a rush of federal assistance.
The pipe was returned to operation last month after emergency repairs were completed.
The leak is largely under control, but it could take months to fully repair the pipe. DC Water, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, has been working to repair the leak and monitor the impact on the river.
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