DC’s Department of Health (DC Health) on Monday lifted its recreational advisory for the Potomac River. The department says its testing shows the river’s E.coli bacterial levels are now within safe ranges for recreation.
Health officials had issued the advisory following the January 19 collapse of a section of the Potomac Interceptor sewage pipe. The collapse caused at least 250 million gallons of wastewater to enter the Potomac.
Local environmental groups sounded the alarm over potential harm to humans and wildlife. In a January 27 news release, Potomac Riverkeeper Network, a nonprofit that works to protect the Potomac River’s water quality, said it had sampled water at Fletchers Cove near Georgetown. Its testing showed E.coli bacteria contamination levels were nearly 12,000 times what authorities limit for human contact.
DC Health says it has been conducting ongoing water quality monitoring at multiple locations along the Potomac River as well as the Anacostia River. The sampling has been in coordination with DC Water — the utility company responsible for maintaining the pipe — as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). On February 21, President Donald Trump approved FEMA assistance with the cleanup effort.
“Protecting the health and safety of District residents is our top priority,” Dr. Ayanna Bennett, director of DC Health, said in a statement. “After careful review of the last three weeks of water quality data, we are confident that conditions in the District’s portion of the Potomac River no longer pose an elevated public health risk. This advisory applies only to waters within the District of Columbia, and we encourage residents to follow guidance from neighboring jurisdictions for areas outside the District’s boundaries.”
Feature image, josephgruber/stock.adobe.com
