Historic Raw Sewage Spill and Unchecked Data Center Growth Threaten Health
Washington, DC – April 14 — American Rivers ranked the Potomac River number one on its America’s Most Endangered Rivers® list of 2026, because of the one-two-punch of a historic sewage spill and the rapidly expanding footprint of water-intensive data centers across the watershed threatening water availability and water quality of the “Nation’s River”, Betsy Nicholas, president of Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) announced today.
Said Nicholas, “The Potomac is our Nation’s River,” We must do all we can to protect it for this generation and those to come. We urge that lawmakers and regulators require investigation into data centers’ water use, toxins associated with them, and impacts on affected communities before hasty approvals of their construction cause irreparable harm.”
“As the backdrop to our nation’s capital, the Potomac should reflect the highest standards of water health and stewardship,” said Pat Calvert, Virginia conservation director for American Rivers. “The Potomac is at an inflection point and cannot continue to sustain the rapid expansion of water-guzzling data centers drawing from its waters. Act now or watch this river be detrimentally redefined for the everyday citizen that depends on it.”
The Potomac watershed is experiencing a dramatic surge in data center development, particularly in Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland, without watershed-wide analysis of impacts on stormwater runoff, chemical spill response, management of hazardous materials, groundwater withdrawals, and flood risk. Many proposed facilities are upstream of drinking water intakes that serve millions of people.
The region, which earned the nickname “Data Center Alley”, already hosts more than 300 data centers, with projections suggesting that as many as 1,000 facilities could occupy nearly 20,000 acres of land in the state in the coming years—the equivalent of roughly 3,500 football fields.
“The Potomac Interceptor failure was a wake-up call: hundreds of millions of gallons of sewage polluted this river, and our communities are still waiting for answers,” said David Flores, PRKN’s vice president and general counsel. “We are working to ensure long-term impacts are fully addressed and that ongoing, transparent water quality monitoring continues.”
The pressures on the river reached a tipping point after the failure of the Potomac Interceptor sewage line earlier in the year when roughly 200–300 million gallons of untreated sewage spilled into the river. Bacteria levels near the spill site reached nearly 12,000 times the safe recreational limit.
Nicholas concluded,“This crisis makes one thing clear. Failing wastewater infrastructure is polluting our rivers. Aging pipes are breaking, and without real investment and oversight, including federal and state investment, it will happen again. We need immediate action to fix these systems and ensure accountability, monitoring, and long-term restoration of the Potomac.”
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About Potomac Riverkeeper Network
Potomac Riverkeeper Network is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with three regional Waterkeeper branches: Potomac Riverkeeper, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper, and Shenandoah Riverkeeper. PRKN’s mission is to protect the right to clean water for all communities and all those who live in and rely upon the Potomac and Shenandoah watersheds by stopping pollution, making drinking water safe, protecting healthy river habitats, and enhancing use and enjoyment for all.
About American Rivers
American Rivers is a national conservation organization working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife. We combine evidence-based solutions with enduring partnerships to safeguard the 4.4 million miles of rivers and streams that are essential to our nation’s clean drinking water, extraordinary wildlife, and the strength of our communities. For more than 50 years, our staff, supporters, and partners have been driven by a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers®. AmericanRivers.org
Photo Credit: Roy Sewall
