VDH Issues Potomac River Recreational Water Advisory

VA Dept of Health Newsroom

Published February 13th, 2026

Detected February 14th, 2026

Summary

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has issued a recreational water advisory for a 72.5-mile stretch of the Potomac River due to sewage spills reported on January 19 and February 7, 2026. Residents are advised to avoid water contact activities for an estimated four to six weeks while repairs are underway.

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What changed

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has issued a public health advisory for a significant portion of the Potomac River, spanning 72.5 miles from Fairfax County to King George County. This advisory is a precautionary measure following reports of sewage spills on January 19 and February 7, 2026. VDH is recommending that Virginia residents avoid recreational water activities such as swimming and wading in the affected area due to potential contamination. Repairs are estimated to take four to six weeks, and VDH has confirmed no impact on drinking water supplies at this time.

Regulated entities and the public should be aware of this advisory and observe posted signage at water access points. While this is a non-binding advisory, it highlights potential environmental and public health risks associated with sewage discharge events. Individuals who come into contact with the water are advised to wash thoroughly with soap and water. Those harvesting fish or crabs from the area should follow specific preparation guidelines to minimize health risks. The VDH is providing updates via its website and directing the public to relevant information from DC Water and other state agencies involved in the response.

What to do next

Advise staff and patrons of the recreational water advisory for the Potomac River.
Ensure advisory signage is observed and respected at water access points within the advisory area.
Review and disseminate VDH guidance on safe practices for contact with potentially contaminated water and for harvesting aquatic life from the affected area.

Source document (simplified)

February 13, 2026
Media Contact: Brookie Crawford, brookie.crawford@vdh.virginia.gov

VDH Issues Recreational Water Advisory for the Potomac River
Virginia Residents Advised to Avoid Contact with Contaminated Water

RICHMOND, Va. – Due to reports of sewage spills in the Potomac River and the anticipated timeline for repairs, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is issuing a recreational water advisory for Virginia residents. For the safety of people and pets, VDH is advising Virginia residents to avoid recreational water activities in the Potomac River, such as swimming, wading, tubing, white-water canoeing or kayaking, where full-body submersion is more likely to occur.

The advisory is being issued out of an abundance of caution due to a sewage spill in the Potomac River that occurred January 19, and subsequent reports of a sewage discharge February 7. The timeline for the repair is estimated to be four to six weeks. The advisory area extends for 72.5 miles from the American Legion Memorial Bridge (I-495) in Fairfax County to the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge (Route 301) in King George County.

VDH has observed no evidence of impacts to drinking water at this time.

For updates on the repair status, visit DC Water. For updates on Virginia impacts and to find links to the Maryland and DC agencies responding to this incident, please visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/potomac-sewage-spill/.

To prevent recreational water illnesses due to exposure to sewage spill events, people should:

Avoid contact with water in the advisory area and observe advisory signage posted at waterbody access points.
Avoid any area of the water body where water has a foul odor, dead or dying fish, or discolored water.
Promptly wash skin with soap and water if you cannot avoid contact with water in the vicinity.
Rinse or wash items that come into contact with the water, including clothing, fishing gear, life vests, ropes and paddles.
Seek medical care and notify your practitioner of the waterbody exposure if you experience adverse health effects after contact with the waterbody.
When harvesting fish or crabs, discard skin, organs, cook the meat to proper temperature, and clean cutting boards and cutting implements with warm soapy water. For more information on recreational water safety, visit www.SwimHealthyVA.com.