Congressman Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman John Joyce, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, announced on May 14 a hearing titled ‘Corrosion, Collapse, and Clean-Up: Examining the Potomac Interceptor Collapse.’ The hearing is scheduled for May 20 at 10:15 AM ET in the Rayburn House Office Building and will be open to the public and press.
Chairmen Guthrie and Joyce said, “Since launching our investigation in February, the Committee has been working to understand what led to DC Water’s Potomac Interceptor collapse that caused one of the largest sewage spills in American history. The resilience of our wastewater infrastructure systems remains critical to protecting the health and safety of our communities, including safe drinking water and the environment. This hearing will help to understand what was known about the condition of the Potomac Interceptor prior to this incident, the emergency response and cleanup efforts that have been underway since the collapse, and how future incidents may be prevented.”
David Gadis, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of DC Water, is scheduled to testify at the hearing. According to Gadis’ prepared testimony included in committee materials, he will discuss DC Water’s response following the January 19 collapse of the Potomac Interceptor. Gadis said he appreciates “the opportunity to discuss the January 19 collapse of the Potomac Interceptor, the emergency response that followed, and the long-term efforts currently underway to restore, rehabilitate, and strengthen this critical piece of infrastructure.” He also outlined DC Water’s mission as a leading water utility serving more than 700,000 District residents as well as surrounding jurisdictions.
Gadis’ testimony describes environmental stewardship initiatives such as DC Water’s Clean Rivers Project aimed at reducing combined sewer overflows into local waterways. He notes that through these efforts—including construction projects like deep underground tunnels—combined sewer overflows into rivers such as Anacostia are projected to be reduced by approximately 98 percent during an average rainfall year. Additional projects under construction are expected to further reduce overflows into other regional waterways.
Regarding aging infrastructure challenges leading up to this incident, Gadis said that while DC Water has spent decades modernizing its systems—including sections originally constructed by federal authorities in previous decades—the complexity and age of some components remain significant factors. He described how crews encountered large boulders obstructing flow within damaged sections during their emergency response operations after January’s collapse.
Gadis concluded his remarks by emphasizing transparency with community engagement throughout incident management efforts. He said that DC Water provided frequent updates through press briefings and public meetings while releasing technical information related to repairs. For more details about upcoming hearings or background information regarding this event or testimony from David Gadis, see the organization’s press release.
