EXCLUSIVE — House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans are opening an investigation and demanding information from DC Water on the failures that led to roughly 243 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River, and whether they could have been prevented.
In a new letter, first shared with the Washington Examiner, led by Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Reps. John Joyce (R-MI) and Gary Palmer (R-AL), the committee raised concerns about how the sewage spill, which is now considered the largest in United States history, will affect public health, safe drinking water, the environment, interstate commerce, and tourism, “all of which fall within the Committee’s jurisdiction.”
The spill occurred on Jan. 19, after an underground section of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line operated by DC Water burst in Cabin John, Maryland. The amount of sewage skyrocketed, raising E. coli levels in the water to the point where the river is now considered unsafe to touch, prompting authorities to warn against recreational water contact.
“An incident of this size and scale presents a significant threat to the public health and welfare of the affected communities, and swift mitigation of these risks is critical,” the Republicans wrote. “Understanding the nature of how this incident occurred and how future incidents of this scale may be prevented in the future is imperative.”
The spill has led to President Donald Trump feuding with Democrats over who is to blame for the large amount of waste entering the waterway, calling the disaster a “result of the Gross Mismanagement of Local Democrat Leaders.” Washington, D.C., has since declared the incident to be a local public emergency.
In the letter to DC Water Chief Executive Officer and General Manager David Gadis, Guthrie and his GOP energy and commerce members argue details from a DC Water Environmental Quality and Operations Committee meeting back in April 2025 show the utility “knew that the Potomac Interceptor was at risk of failure and in need of emergency repairs.”
The committee noted that the Board of Directors for DC’s Water and Sewer Authority approved a $4.7 million emergency contract to rehabilitate the interceptor, but “it is unclear what steps, if any, were taken by DC Water to execute the emergency repair contract and if the collapse could have been avoided.”
The Republicans are asking DC Water to provide information, no later than March 6, on whether the utility was aware of the risks of collapse. The committee is also requesting that DC Water provide audits conducted to assess the condition of the ruptured line; contracts and agreements DC Water has regarding emergency repairs to the Potomac Interceptor line; actions to clean up the spill; evaluations of the effects on public health and the environment; and mitigation efforts to prevent future spills.
The committee currently does not have a hearing specifically on the DC Water and Potomac River spill scheduled, but a clean water hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24.
Trump has particularly called out Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) for the disaster. A White House official previously told the Washington Examiner that Maryland held primary responsibility for the Potomac River waters within its borders, accusing the state of failing to coordinate with federal groups when the sewer line ruptured.
Authorities are expecting the full repair of the interceptor line to take over 9 months.
Moore has repeatedly denied Trump’s claims that the spill is Maryland’s fault, arguing that the federal government has controlled the interceptor “since the last century.” Trump has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to resolve the issue, and DC Water said it would cooperate with federal regulators and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) also joined the letter on Wednesday, urging transparency from DC Water.
BOWSER REQUESTS FEDERAL HELP OVER POTOMAC SEWAGE SPILL PUBLIC EMERGENCY
“While we appreciate the ongoing emergency response, we remain deeply concerned about the near-term public health and environmental impacts of this spill,” the lawmakers wrote, raising concerns over the possible effects on the environment and wildlife, as well as the effects freezing temperatures in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area could have on the spill.
The Washington Examiner reached out to DC Water for comment.