The largest sewage spill in US history has swamped the Potomac River, creating major problems for the equity-focused DC Water company.
The six-foot-wide Potomac Interceptor sewer line in Montgomery County, Maryland collapsed back in January.
This resulted in nearly 300 million gallons of wastewater plaguing the river in just 10 days, contaminating the waterway that runs directly through Washington, DC.
Trump called it a 'massive ecological disaster,' as many have pointed fingers at DC Water and its CEO David Gadis, the spearhead behind the DEI initiatives at the company.
Gadis previously served for 20 years as Executive Vice President of Veolia North America, which recently paid a $53 million civil settlement for its role in contributing to the Flint water crisis.
After taking over DC Water in 2022, he said the company had been 'predominantly white male' in its executive ranks, while roughly 70 percent of its overall utility workforce consisted of people of color.
Since then, Gadis has said the executive team should 'look like' the workforce and the community it serves.
The company’s executive ranks have grown more diverse, and hefty equity-focused programs have been rolled out.
David Gadis, CEO & General Manager of DC Water, speaks at a news conference offering an update on the Potomac Interceptor break
Workers walk along the Clara Barton Parkway during the repair of the Potomac Interceptor
Some speculate that the company should have prioritized infrastructure repairs over equity initiatives, as local residents are now bearing the brunt of the massive sewage spill.
DC Water tested the river and found E coli levels hundreds of times above EPA limits, turning the Potomac into a festering hazard, NBC reported.
The company warned residents to steer clear of the toxic waters, while Montgomery County Fire & Rescue in Maryland ordered first responders to treat any Potomac spill emergencies as 'Hazmat calls.'
Repair crews aim to restore the pipeline by mid-March, but full repairs could take nine to 10 months.
The sewage isn’t the only toxic element - President Trump has blamed Democrats for the spill, saying the federal government will step in because Maryland’s response has been too slow.
Trump said it's Maryland Democratic Governor Wes Moore's fault that the Potomac River has turned 'the heart of Washington into a disaster zone.'
'I cannot allow incompetent Local 'Leadership' to turn the River in the Heart of Washington into a Disaster Zone,' he wrote on Truth Social.
'The Federal Government has no choice, but to step in. FEMA, which is currently being defunded by the Democrats, will play a key role in coordinating the response.'
Temporary pipes divert sewage into the C&O Canal in order to repair the Potomac Interceptor
A collapse along a sewage line in Montgomery, Maryland in January resulted in a spill of approximately 300 million gallons of wastewater into the River
President Donald Trump announced that FEMA authorities will take over DC sewage spill mitigation
This follows Trump’s call for local authorities to lead disaster response, with the federal government providing only requested funding for relief and cleanup.
'For the last four weeks, the Trump Administration has failed to act, shirking its responsibility and putting people's health at risk,' Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for Governor Moore, told the Daily Mail.
'The Potomac isn't a talking point, and the people of the region deserve serious leadership that meets the moment,' Moussa added.
The President has not spoken with Moore, rather the spat continues to be litigated through public statements and social media posts.
Maryland’s governor’s spokesperson called for federal intervention, but Trump placed the blame on the metro-area states, insisting, 'the federal government is not at all involved.'
'Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, who are responsible for the massive sewage spill in the Potomac River, must get to work, IMMEDIATELY,' the president wrote in a follow-up post to Truth Social on Tuesday.
He demanded: 'If they can't do the job, they have to call me and ask, politely, to get it fixed... I am awaiting your call.'
