Crews worked on Saturday to reroute millions of gallons of untreated sewage from spilling into the Potomac River days after the collapse of a major sewer line and as one of the most severe winter storms to hit the Washington region in years approached.
The collapse happened on Monday in a section of the Potomac Interceptor, which carries up to 60 million gallons of wastewater each day from parts of Maryland and Virginia to a pumping station in Washington.
John Lisle, a spokesman with DC Water, a water and sewer utility company serving Washington, said in an email on Saturday afternoon that the company estimated that 40 million gallons of untreated sewage a day had spilled into the river since the rupture.
The cause of the break was not yet known.
DC Water is working with several agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, to address potential ecological impacts, Mr. Lisle said.
Crews were installing high-powered pumps to divert wastewater around the damaged section of the Potomac Interceptor along Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Md., near the Potomac River and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park.
Officials said the temporary bypass was intended to limit additional overflows while repairs were made, even as snow and ice expected with an approaching storm threatened to complicate repairs.
DC Water has warned the public to stay away from the area during repairs.
“It is important to note that DC Water’s drinking water system is separate from the wastewater system and is not affected by the overflow,” officials said in a news release.
The utility was repairing deteriorating sections of the Potomac Interceptor, which was built in the 1960s, when the rupture occurred.
The break did not happen at one of those targeted sections, Mr. Lisle said.
Forecasters expect eight inches of snow across the metro area, with the possibility of up to 10 inches, starting on Sunday. Wind chills as low as 10 below zero are possible.
The cold weather, along with the snow, could make the repairs difficult.
“We are planning to work through the weather as long as it is safe for the crews,” Mr. Lisle said.
Mark Walker is a Times reporter who covers breaking news and culture.
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