President Donald Trump has had enough concerning the sewer line breach in the Potomac River.
Calling it an "ecological disaster" on his Truth Social account Monday, Trump noted that the breach has caused millions of gallons of raw sewage to be dumped directly into the Potomac River, "a result of incompetent Local and State Management of Essential Waste Management Systems."
Trump cast blame on Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat.
The spill occurred in Montgomery County, Maryland, along Clara Barton Parkway, which hugs the northern edge of the Potomac River near Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park.
"This is the same Governor who cannot rebuild a Bridge. It is clear Local Authorities cannot adequately handle this calamity."
"Therefore, I am directing Federal Authorities to immediately provide all necessary Management, Direction, and Coordination to protect the Potomac, the Water Supply in the Capital Region, and our treasured National Resources in our Nation's Capital City," Trump added.
The spill was caused by a 72-inch-diameter sewer pipe that collapsed in January, shooting sewage out of the ground and into the river.
DC Water spokesperson John Lisle said the utility estimates the overflow at about 40 million gallons each day, enough to fill about 66 Olympic-size swimming pools, but it's not clear exactly how much has spilled into the river since the overflow began.
"Oh, my God, the smell is horrific," said Dean Naujoks, the Potomac Riverkeeper and part of an environmental nonprofit. "It's such high concentrations of sewage that just grabbing a sample is a public health risk."
The president said state and local authorities did not request the emergency help.
"I cannot allow incompetent Local 'Leadership' to turn the River in the Heart of Washington into a Disaster Zone," Trump said.
"As we saw in the Palisades, the Democrat War on Merit has real consequences. The Federal Government has no choice, but to step in," Trump added, referring to the destructive wildfires last year in Los Angeles.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, "which is currently being defunded by the Democrats, will play a key role in coordinating the response," Trump continued.
The spill does not affect drinking water, which passes through a separate system, DC Water said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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