Potomac sewage spill sends E coli 12,000 times above safe limits
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The Potomac is facing more than turbulent waters as a sewage spill near Lockhouse 10 caused E. coli levels to rise well beyond safe limits in Washington, D.C., and new tests revealed contamination thousands of times higher than what is considered safe for human contact.
Lockhouse 10 is a historic canal lock along the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal and a restored lock keeper’s house. It was originally used to manage boat traffic on the 19th-century canal and is now preserved as a quiet historic site about three miles from the heart of Washington, DC.
The Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) released test results from contaminated water along the Potomac River showing that the effects were much worse than initially believed, PRKN President Betsy Nicholas said.
The results showed high levels of E. coli bacteria, a type of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals that is generally harmless but can cause diarrhea and more serious gastrointestinal illnesses when certain toxin-producing strains contaminate food or water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Tests show that a sewage leak near Lockhouse 10 contaminated the Potomac River and Washington, D.C. waters by increasing E. coli levels nearly 12,000 times above safe limits. (Getty Images)
“These measurements of E. coli bacteria indicate contamination at approximately 12,000 times the amount authorities limit for human contact,” Nicholas said. “Almost 300 million gallons have flowed into the Potomac River so far, and the long-term impact cannot be overstated. We made our measurements according to standards set by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Maryland Department of the Environment.
“We were able to obtain this information thanks to real-time testing conducted Friday by Potomac Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks and PRKN volunteer coordinator Evan Quinter,” he added.
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E. coli is a type of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. It’s usually harmless, but some toxin-producing strains can cause diarrhea and more serious gastrointestinal illness when they contaminate food or water, according to the CDC. (iStock)
Beyond the initial findings, additional testing along the Potomac River shows how far the pollution has spread and how dramatically bacteria levels vary depending on location.
Sampling sites were chosen to show contamination at the source of the spill, at popular public recreation areas and miles below Washington, D.C., Naujoks said.
“We sampled the sewage discharged from the antifracture pipe into the Potomac River near Lock 10 and the result was 4,884,000 MPN (Most Probable Number for E. coli), which is 11,900 times higher than the 410 MPN limit for safe human contact,” he said. “Recently, samples collected from the river at Lock House 10 public river access, where people recreated, showed values 7,000 times above the 410 limit.
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Tests show that a sewage leak near Lockhouse 10 contaminated the Potomac River and Washington, D.C. waters by increasing E. coli levels nearly 12,000 times above safe limits. (iStock)
“We also sampled DC waters at Fletchers Cove roughly four miles downstream, where testing data revealed E. coli levels were 60 times higher than the 410 standard,” he added.
Naujoks said the leak was the result of infrastructure failures, which he argued could have been prevented with better maintenance and planning.
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“The root cause of this disaster is infrastructure failure; the 1.8 meter diameter sewer prevention pipe located so close to the river should have been better maintained to prevent this disaster,” Naujoks said. “DC Water needs to come up with a better plan than using the 100-year-old dry sewer ditch to capture and contain future sewage releases, rather than dumping hundreds of millions of gallons of sewage into the river. One of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history could have been prevented.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to DC Water for comment.
