Virginia Department of Health Issues Advisory for the Potomac River After Massive D.C. Sewage Spill
Affected area spans 72 miles from Fairfax through King George.
This article was republished with permission from FXBG Advance’s news partner InsideNoVa.com. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.
The Virginia Department of Health has issued a recreational water advisory for the Potomac River, urging Virginia residents to avoid activities like swimming, wading and kayaking due to recent sewage spills in Washington, D.C.
The advisory is in effect for an estimated four to six weeks, the timeline projected for repairs, the VDH said in a news release.
The health department is advising that people and pets should avoid recreational water activities where “full-body submersion is more likely to occur.”
The advisory was issued following a sewage spill on Jan. 19 and a subsequent discharge reported on Feb. 7 due to a sewer pipe break in D.C.
The affected area spans 72.5 miles, extending from the American Legion Memorial Bridge (Interstate 495) in Fairfax County down to the Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge (Route 301) in King George County.
The VDH said there is “no evidence of impacts to drinking water at this time.”
To help prevent recreational water illnesses, VDH provided the following guidance for the public:
Avoid Contact: Do not come into contact with water in the advisory area and obey any posted signage at waterbody access points.
Observe Water Quality: Avoid any area with a foul odor, dead or dying fish, or discolored water.
Post-Contact Care: If contact cannot be avoided, promptly wash skin with soap and water.
Clean Gear: Rinse or wash any items that come into contact with the water, including clothing, fishing gear, life vests, ropes, and paddles.
Medical Attention: Seek medical care and notify a practitioner of the waterbody exposure if adverse health effects are experienced.
Fish and Crabs: When harvesting fish or crabs, discard the skin and organs, cook the meat to the proper temperature, and thoroughly clean cutting boards and implements.
For updates on repair status, VDH directed residents to D.C. Water. Additional updates on Virginia impacts and links to responding Maryland and D.C. agencies are available on the VDH website. More information on general recreational water safety is available at SwimHealthyVA.com.
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Here's additional info from Potomac Local News which includes pinpoint coverage of the Woodbridge to the greater Fredericksburg area. Be sure to watch the DMV ZONE on DC News Station 5 interview with PLN Uriah Kiser to learn the specifics of this massive sewage spill in the immediate area.
The advisory includes Woodbridge in Prince William County and Stafford County, both downstream of the spill site.
"Health officials warn residents to avoid swimming, wading, tubing, kayaking, and other activities involving full-body contact with the water. The advisory cites elevated levels of bacteria, including E. coli and other pathogens that can cause illness through ingestion or contact with open wounds.
[In separate coverage, warning issued: Keep your dog away from the Potomac River, including the mud near the River in the affected areas. This massive sewage spill will have serious environmental and economic impacts/risks, especially on the marinas in the area.]
Virginia Department of Health stated that drinking water remains safe because municipal intakes are not affected by the contamination. [NOTE: The Rappahannock River is not affected].
Environmental monitoring groups, including the Potomac Riverkeeper Network and researchers from the University of Maryland, have reported bacteria readings near the spill site that exceeded Environmental Protection Agency recreational standards. Officials say concentrations generally decrease farther downstream, though monitoring continues.
Shellfish harvesting restrictions have been implemented in affected Virginia waters. Some river-based events have been canceled or relocated.
As of publication [PLN 2-12-2026; 8:30 AM], Virginia elected officials, including Gov. Abigail Spanberger and members of Virginia’s congressional delegation, had not issued formal public statements addressing the spill’s downstream impact in Prince William County or Stafford County.
The Prince William County Republican Committee has posted statements on social media criticizing what it describes as a lack of response from state and federal leaders".
I suppose it will be the feds who will foot the bill for repairs and cleanup through FEMA. OOPSIE! The Democrats shut FEMA down. I hope the stench from the river makes its way to halls of Congress and Schumer gets a good nose full.
I do have to wonder how 240 MILLION gallons of raw sewage will not significantly affect the entire 110 miles of river down from DC. That and when the tide reverses and flushes it into the roughly 1000 miles of tributaries. Does anyone really believe it won't get to the Chesapeake Bay and wreak havoc on that aquatic environment, as it devastates the Potomac? It's NOT A MINOR SPILL. It is 240 PLUS MILLION gallons of human excrement and other waste. But let's wait on FEMA. Thanks Chuck. And thanks Spanberger for the heads up and emergency declaration. OOPSIE, again! She was too busy making things affordable by increasing taxes, making new taxes, and making sure the illegal aliens could roam free.