Please stop flushing wipes down the toilet, even if they’re labeled “flushable,” Fairfax County said in a recent message to community members.
The county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services urged residents late last week to avoid flushing anything other than toilet paper after a mass of non-disposable wipes clogged a regional sewer pipeline, exacerbating overflows into the Potomac River.
“Unlike toilet paper, most wipes, including those labeled ‘flushable,’ do not break down in the sewer system,” Fairfax County said in a news release. “Instead, they can accumulate and clog pumps and pipes. During infrastructure repairs, the system is more vulnerable to blockages that reduce capacity and increase the risk of overflows.”
More than 200 million gallons of wastewater spilled into the Potomac River after the 54-mile-long Potomac Interceptor that carries sewage from Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County, to a treatment plant in D.C. collapsed near Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Maryland, on Jan. 19, according to DC Water.
Bypass pumps were set up to divert the overflowing sewage from the Potomac to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, but a “significant” overflow on Feb. 8, attributed to non-disposable wipes clogging multiple pumps during the “high flow period” that was Super Bowl Sunday, dumped several hundred thousand more gallons of wastewater into the river.
As of Tuesday (Feb. 17), DC Water said an “enhanced” bypass system with seven high-capacity pumps is on track to be fully operational by the end of this week, which would enable crews to fully assess the damage to the interceptor and begin repairs.
The utility estimates that emergency repairs will take four to six more weeks, followed by a more extensive rehabilitation phase that could take nine to 10 months to complete.
In the meantime, Fairfax County reminded residents to be mindful of what they put into the sewers, particularly at a time when the system is compromised:
Wastewater from parts of Fairfax County travels through this regional sewer line to Washington, D.C. Because the system crosses jurisdictional boundaries, what is flushed locally can affect equipment and waterways downstream.
Residents can help protect the Potomac River and the regional wastewater system by following two simple rules:
- Flush only pee, poop and toilet paper.
- Throw all wipes in the trash.
We work closely with regional partners to manage shared wastewater infrastructure. Public cooperation during repair efforts helps keep the system operating safely and protects local waterways.
Because the pipeline collapse occurred downstream of Fairfax County, it doesn’t pose any danger to the local drinking water supply, but excessive amounts of E. coli have been detected in the Potomac River, prompting the Virginia Department of Health issue an advisory last Friday (Feb. 13) telling residents to avoid contact with the contaminated river waters.
“The advisory area extends for 72.5 miles from the American Legion Memorial Bridge (I-495) in Fairfax County to the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge (Route 301) in King George County,” VDH said, advising against swimming, wading, kayaking and other recreational activities.
Anyone who does come into contact with suspect water, which could be indicated by a “foul odor, dead or dying fish,” or discoloration, should promptly wash their skin with soap and water, VDH says. Clothing, fishing gear and other items that touch the water should also be rinsed.
“Seek medical care and notify your practitioner of the waterbody exposure if you experience adverse health effects after contact with the waterbody,” the health department said.
Updates on Virginia’s response to the sewage spill will be shared on the VDH website.
According to DC Water, E. coli levels have declined since the start of the sewage spill, when 570,000 per 100 milliliters were recorded at the site of the overflow near Swainson Island across the river from McLean.
However, a sample taken on Monday (Feb. 16) at the same site found 173,000 bacteria per 100 milliliters — still well above the 410 per 100 milliliters threshold for when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and public health officials recommend against swimming.
Historically, E. coli levels in the Potomac River have typically ranged from 10 to 5,000 per 100 milliliters, varying based on weather, sewer infrastructure and other conditions, DC Water said.
