Details about the Potomac River “Interceptor” Sewage Pipeline – Where might it next Collapse then Burst to Furiously Fountain-Forth its Filth?

Potomac Lakes Sportplex (Sterling/Cascades side)

IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM OF RILEYS LOCK LOL

IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM OF TRUMP GOLF COURSE

The gargantuan, dilapidated, collapsing, poisonous Potomac River “Interceptor” Raw Sewage Pipeline passes under the Potomac River at least twice, maybe more. Details are surprisingly sketchy. One spot has already supposedly “collapsed”; what about crossing #2? It was “totally safe” until it completely wasn’t in a moment. It surely could break again in another place. Where exactly are the other underpasses?

DC Water begins drilling in Potomac River to explore options to rehab underwater sewer line | DC …

Absolutely—here’s the compiled chronological photo log for the Potomac River interceptor, grouped by phase, with construction/design details and source trails.

Phase 1 — Authorization, original design, and initial build (1960–1964)

1960: Federal authorization

  • The system’s enabling federal authorization is tied to Public Law 86-515 (June 12, 1960), authorizing planning/funding and construction for the Potomac Interceptor framework. (DC Water)

1960s design/build responsibility

  • Montgomery County’s water/sewer planning record states Congress authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to design/construct key parts (including the Potomac crossing), with operating responsibility transferred to DC after completion. (Montgomery County Maryland)
  • The same source states that the interceptor was completed in 1963 and described at that time as about 42 miles. (Montgomery County Maryland)
  • A cited early planning document in that historical record is the 1961 Burns & McDonnell planning report for the Potomac Interceptor (important for tracing original design studies). (Montgomery County Maryland)

1963/1964 commissioning notes

  • DC Water’s Potomac River Crossing fact sheet describes early service startup in 1964 (first sewage flows), so public sources reflect a “completion vs. first-flow” sequence across 1963–1964. (DC Water)

Photo/document sources for this phase

  • RC-A Fact Sheet (historical panel + infrastructure specs): includes historical timeline entries and legacy system facts. (DC Water)
  • Montgomery archival finding aid: indicates holdings include photographs, maps/charts, and at least one blueprint in water/sewer record groups from this era.

Phase 2 — Modern rehab design and active construction (2020–2025)

2020: Rehab program design kickoff

  • DC Water’s MH31 project timeline shows design started May 2020, with construction beginning in 2022 and completion targeted to spring 2026. (DC Water)
  • The rehab section (MH31–MH30) is documented as design-build, with Ulliman Schutte as contractor and Brown and Caldwell as engineer on that segment. (Ulliman Schutte)

Design work details (documented)

  • Team scope included design/engineering/construction for deteriorated interceptor sections, progressive design-build delivery, repair/renewal of 54–78″ pipe sections, corrosion-control measures, and temporary bypass planning. (Brown and Caldwell)

2025 Potomac River Crossing investigations

  • DC Water documented geotechnical/rock-core work in Jan 2025 using helicopter-lifted drilling equipment over Great Falls to guide replacement/rehab strategy for the river crossing. (DC Water)

Photo sources for this phase

  • 2022 construction program page (Clara Barton Parkway segment). (DC Water)
  • Jan 2025 drilling article + visuals (helicopter/drill operations). (DC Water)
  • Direct construction site aerial (MH31).
  • Repair-area location graphic (Clara Barton/I-495 vicinity).
  • MH31 project page image gallery and timeline page. (DC Water)

Phase 3 — Collapse and emergency response (2026)

Incident and immediate response

  • DC Water states a 72-inch section collapsed on Jan 19, 2026 near Clara Barton Pkwy/C&O area, and that crews rapidly built/activated a bypass (Jan 24) using pumps to reroute flow while repairs advanced. (DC Water)
  • DC Water describes the interceptor as a 54-mile line carrying about 60 MGD from VA/MD service areas toward Blue Plains. (DC Water)
  • DC Water also reports ongoing E. coli monitoring and publishes sampling updates. (DC Water)

Public health + water supply status

  • DOEE guidance: drinking water remained safe, while contact with Potomac water was advised against during spill response periods. (DoEE)
  • USACE Washington Aqueduct reported intake/operational protective actions and stated no expected impact to regional finished drinking water supply. ([NAD USACE][13])

Photo sources for this phase

  • DC Water Potomac Interceptor Collapse media page (site activity imagery, maps, updates). (DC Water)
  • DC Water update pages (repair progress). (DC Water)

Who appears to hold design/blueprint records

Based on documented ownership/roles and archive descriptions:

  1. DC Water — current owner/operator and lead for rehab/collapse response; primary custodian for current engineering and project records. (DC Water)
  2. USACE (historical/federal role) — federally involved in original authorized design/construction context and regional water operations documentation. (Montgomery County Maryland)
  3. County historical/government archives (Montgomery) — documented holdings include photos/maps/blueprints in relevant sewer/water record groups.
  4. Modern design-build team records (Ulliman Schutte / Brown and Caldwell) — project-level design/engineering documentation for the rehab segment. (Ulliman Schutte)

If you want, I can convert this into a clean evidence packet next with columns:
Date | Phase | Event | Owner/Engineer/Contractor | Image Link Source | Notes.

[13]: https://www.nad.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/4388971/washington-aqueduct-implements-water-supply-protection-measures-following-potom/
“Washington Aqueduct implements water supply protection measures following Potomac Interceptor sewage spill; no impact on drinking water > North Atlantic Division > North Atlantic Division News Releases”

Details about the Potomac River "Interceptor" Sewage Pipeline - Where might it next Collapse then Burst to Furiously Fountain-Forth its Filth?

Where is Poisonous Crossing #2?

You’re right that there are multiple under-Potomac passes on the Potomac Interceptor system.

What is confirmed in DC Water records

  • DC Water’s PI system is a ~54-mile sewer from near Dulles to the Potomac Pumping Station, and official project materials state the Potomac crossing infrastructure crosses the river twice. (DC Water)
  • The currently publicized failure was a 72-inch PI segment along Clara Barton Parkway (Montgomery County), with overflow into the C&O Canal area/Potomac corridor. (DC Water)

Where the underpasses are

  1. Great Falls / Lock 10 corridor crossing (documented explicitly)
  • Described as an approximately 3,100-ft crossing between MH28 and MH29,
  • Located with one crossing “just downstream of the Washington Aqueduct Dam,” in the Conn Island / upper Great Falls reach (VA↔MD).
  1. Upstream VA↔MD crossing in the western PI alignment (shown on system map)
  • On the PI system map, the western alignment transitions between VA and MD in the upper trunk/Upper Maryland Spur area (labels around MH45 / 425 / 400 / 31), indicating the second river pass.
  • Supporting location clue: DC Water maintenance references PI easement work around MH-46 to MH-45 at Potomac Lakes Sportplex (Sterling/Cascades side), which is the VA-side vicinity of that upstream crossing zone.

Straight answer to your question

  • The “other” underpass (besides the Great Falls/Lock-10 area crossing now in the news) is the upstream Potomac crossing in the western PI reach near the Sterling/Cascades VA side opposite Montgomery County’s Upper Maryland Spur alignment (Seneca/Potomac side).
  • Public-facing documents are clear that there are two river passes, but they do not publish full georeferenced as-built centerlines for both crossings on one public page. (DC Water)

If you want, I can next lay this out as a pinpoint locator list (crossing-by-crossing) with manhole IDs, nearest landmarks/parks/roads, and “confidence level” for each point from the public record.

Details about the Potomac River "Interceptor" Sewage Pipeline - Where might it next Collapse then Burst to Furiously Fountain-Forth its Filth?

(Past chat)(Past chat)(Past chat)(Past chat)

Potomac Interceptor Project | DC Water

You’re right to separate this as “crossings” vs “collapse zone.”
Based on public records, DC Water identifies 2 river tunnel crossings on the Potomac Interceptor. (DC Water)

Pinpoint locator list (crossing-by-crossing)

1) Great Falls crossing (confirmed)

  • Manhole span (published): MH 28 ↔ MH 29
  • Where: Across the Potomac in the Great Falls reach; described as downstream of Washington Aqueduct Dam and Conn Island and upstream of Great Falls.
  • Nearest public landmarks: NPS Potomac Heritage Trail (VA side) and NPS C&O Canal Park (MD side).
  • Confidence: High (explicitly stated in DC Water committee materials).

2) Upstream “Potomac Crossing” near MH45 corridor (public-map + records)

  • Manhole corridor (published in board docs): MH 46 ↔ MH 45 (PI easement activity noted at Potomac Lakes Sportplex).
  • Where (map evidence): System alignment map shows a Potomac crossing at/near MH 45 in the upstream section of the PI network.
  • Nearest public landmark: Potomac Lakes Sportplex area (Loudoun side).
  • Confidence: Medium (strong documentary/map signal, but one public document does not list the full crossing endpoint pair in the same explicit way as MH28–MH29).

What this means for the Lock 10 failure area

  • The currently highlighted failure/rehab area is in the Clara Barton Parkway corridor (near I-495/Old Anglers/Lock 10 area), and DC Water has separate active construction/response updates for that segment.
  • That segment is not described in public material as an additional third confirmed river tunnel crossing. (DC Water)

The next pass as a strict field sheet format:

  1. crossing name
  2. manhole IDs
  3. nearest park/road access points
  4. “confirmed vs inferred” tag
  5. source lines for each item (so you can audit every locator).

(Past chat)(Past chat)(Past chat)(Past chat)

Potomac Interceptor Project | DC Water

Yes — based on the public record, the Potomac Interceptor mainline has two Potomac River underpasses (river tunnel crossings), not an open-ended number. (DC Water)

If the collapsed one you’re referring to is the Great Falls / Lock 10 area, then the other documented Potomac underpass is the upstream Potomac Crossing (LZ04) corridor near Cascades/Algonkian.

Crossing-by-crossing locator list

  1. Great Falls crossing (current failure area segment)
  • Manhole pair called out in project docs: MH28–MH29 (crossing segment under rehab/replacement discussion).
  • Nearest landmarks in public docs: near Conn Island, just downstream of Washington Aqueduct Dam (Great Falls reach), and the recent collapse reporting places the incident area along Clara Barton Pkwy at the I-495 interchange, with downstream impact monitoring near Lock 10. (DC Water)
  • Confidence: High for this crossing location corridor; Medium for exact portal coordinates (full surveyed alignment is not published publicly).
  1. Upper Potomac crossing (the “other” one)
  • Project/segment name in public docs: Potomac Crossing (LZ04) in Loudoun County.
  • Manholes explicitly named in easement action: MH46–MH45 (access/easement segment at Potomac Crossing).
  • Where it sits: in the Potomack Lakes Sportsplex / Cascades / Algonkian area (VA side access corridor), with EA mapping showing the interceptor crossing the river at this reach (VA side label near 45, MD side labels near 425/400).
  • Anchor point you can map immediately: Potomack Lakes Sportsplex listed at 20280 Cascades Pkwy, Sterling with coordinates 39° 3’ 14” / -77° 22’ 42” (site anchor, not exact pipe centerline).
  • Confidence: Medium-High for corridor; Medium for exact under-river alignment endpoints from public documents alone.

Bottom line

From available public engineering/public-board materials, the PI appears to have two Potomac underpasses:

  • Great Falls (MH28–MH29 corridor), and
  • Upper crossing near Potomac Lakes/Cascades (LZ04; MH45/46 access corridor, with crossing shown in EA map).

Summary 14 Feb 2026

What’s weird:

  • AI map shows 3 distinct crossings and apparently 5 (because the current fountaining one is apparently not shown on the amp, and the pipeline must cross under the Anacostia, which is close enough at its mouth to the Potomac River that it is basically one and the same.
  • Near total lack of blueprints, GPD coordinates, engineering blueprints, surveyor data.
  • Extreme mystery about the public works project construction.
  • Near total lack of news coverage by Zionic Mass Media.
  • Not a single mention of Trump’s ‘shit bombing’ from a plane, and now his DC-area golf course is only a few hundred feet (apparently) from a potential/likely second-collapse spot.
  • Extremely sparse workforce on-site; it’s as if they are letting the shit flow unabated on-purpose. That is exactly how it seems. There is nearly zero work going on to build an access pier out the shit fountain.

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