Fuel and Sewage Leaks Have Made the Potomac One of America’s Most Endangered Rivers
The Potomac River is facing significant environmental threats due to sewage and fuel leaks. A collapsed sewer pipe released millions of gallons of raw sewage, while a fuel leak at Joint Base Andrews contaminated local waterways. These issues have raised concerns about the river's health and its status as a drinking water source for millions.
- ▪The Potomac Interceptor sewer pipe collapsed in January, releasing an estimated 243 million gallons of raw sewage into the river.
- ▪A fuel leak at Joint Base Andrews led to thousands of gallons of jet fuel contaminating Piscataway Creek, a tributary of the Potomac.
- ▪American Rivers named the Potomac River the most endangered river in the country in April, citing both the sewage spill and environmental concerns.
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| Canonical URL | https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/05/jet-fuel-sewage-leak-potomac-river-contamination-drinking-water-endangered-river/ |
| Publication time | Wed, 27 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-27T11:32:58.864Z |
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freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: "motherjones_right_rail_1", slotId: "ROS_ATF_300x600" }); Pipes divert raw sewage into the C&O Canal around a broken section of the Potomac Interceptor on Feb. 16 in Cabin John, Md.Chip Somodevilla/Getty via Inside Climate News Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily. This story was originally published by Inside Climate News and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. The warning signs were years in the making. And yet, regulators failed to heed the writing on the wall, according to Dean Naujoks.
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