Good news, Washington, D.C.
Sure, you may have your river water more, um, feces-enriched than before thanks to the failure of the Potomac Interceptor rupture. Sure, the sewage pipe’s failure is so massive that the media is calling it the “Pooptomac” disaster. (USA Today’s phraseology, not mine; I’d never be so juvenile as to say that, I’d just repeat it.) Sure, aging infrastructure is apparently to blame for the disaster, which has led to the spillage of roughly 240 million gallons of untreated sewage flowing into the Potomac River — the biggest spill in U.S. history.
But cheer up: DC Water, the authority that controls the pipeline, has less white guys than it used to! Doesn’t that make you feel better? E. coli for racial justice, that’s what I always say.
In a 2022 video that’s going viral for all the wrong reasons now, DC Water CEO David Gadis talked about implementing DEI principles at the agency, which was apparently a priority despite the fact that aging infrastructure was very clearly an issue.
The collapse happened on Jan. 19 near the Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Maryland; the 72-inch-wide pipe normally carries about 60 million gallons of waste per day.
As per The New York Times, from Tuesday:
The sewage flooded into the river unencumbered for about a week, until D.C. Water, the utility that owns and operates the sewer line, was able to divert it to a section of pipe downstream that runs to a water treatment facility. But there have been intermittent sewage spills as recently as Feb. 10, and the utility expects it will be four to six weeks before the pipe is repaired.
Drinking water has not been affected. But initial testing found elevated levels of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, the bacteria that causes Staph infections, as well as antibiotic-resistant MRSA, prompting concern about the impact on boating, fishing and other recreational activities that have been flourishing in recent years.
In an open letter published last week, Gadis said that his agency had “prioritized frequent communication with the public and our oversight partners” but heard the concerns of residents.
“We recognize that describing response actions and infrastructure details does not erase the environmental impact or the concern this incident caused. For those who live near the river, recreate on it, or work every day to protect it, witnessing this unfold was distressing. We hear that clearly,” he wrote.
“This incident has also underscored a broader reality facing utilities across the country: much of the infrastructure that protects our waterways was built decades ago, long before today’s environmental standards, population growth, and climate pressures. The Potomac Interceptor – more than 60 years old – is a critical regional asset, conveying wastewater from across the metropolitan area to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. Its failure reinforces why sustained investment and vigilance are essential.”
Made my way up to where the Potomac Interceptor sewage pipe broke late last month just north of Cabin John, Md. The C&O Canal between locks 12 and 10 is being used to divert sewage around the broken portion; it’s essentially an open-air sewer at this point. pic.twitter.com/VuVOU6kqoD
— Martin Austermuhle (@maustermuhle) February 17, 2026
Now, it’s worth taking into consideration that 1) the Times and other outlets have been trying to make this into a Republicans Pounce!™ narrative, especially after Trump said in a social media post that “[t]hese Democrat caused Disasters, both River and Shutdown, will only get worse,” and 2) Washington, D.C., now wants federal help to deal with this issue.
As the region continues responding to the Potomac Interceptor break, we have requested federal support.
We are seeking 100% reimbursement for costs incurred by the District and DC Water.
The other areas we have requested federal support can be found here:…
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) February 19, 2026
But please do note that when Gadis appeared on a February 2022 podcast titled “Good Day AWWA!” — an official production of the American Water Works Association — he was singing a different tune about his priorities.
“You know, when I arrived at DC Water, this was an organization that looked very similar to our industry: It was predominately, you know, white male at the top,” he said.
“But this is a utility that’s — you know, more than 70 percent of color work at this utility. And I really believe — it has been fantastic, the outcomes have been fantastic, but the people at the top, the chiefs in that C-suite, they should look like the employees that they serve and that they work with. And the same thing with the community.”
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“And so my executive team, you know, looks exactly like the community, it looks like the employees, the staff — be it people of color, women, men, and it’s just a fantastic team that has come together to do a lot of great things here at DC Water and in the community for the customers,” he added.
In other words, too many white men. And how do women and people of color help improve sewage work? They don’t! But it sounds great, no?
Gadis was selected for the job in 2018, which meant this interview came four years into the job. It’s been four years since. Comments on the video have been turned off, but one can safely assume what they’d be after the “Pooptomac” disaster.
At least there’s an equitable team that looks like the community it serves to deal with the mess, however. I’m sure District residents, as well as Marylanders, are thrilled about that part.
Just one question: Now that the biggest stakeholder in the Potomac River area is bacteria, does any single-celled organism of E. coli extraction get added to Gadis’ executive team? Enquiring minds want to know just how devoted this man is to the principles he preaches, after all.
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