Potomac sewage line needs new repairs on three segments, D.C. Water says

Driving the news: D.C. Water CEO David Gadis said a recent survey of the pipe — using drones, lasers, and other equipment to identify problem areas and debris — led the agency to prioritize the three areas.

• Sitting before a House committee, Gadis said he wasn't sure they had a cost estimate "as of yet" and didn't recall locations, but would submit more details within 30 days.
• After the hearing, a D.C. Water spokesperson identified the projects to Axios as estimated to cost $425 million. Contracts are yet to be issued.

What they're saying: "We're hopeful that we do not have another break," Gadis said. "But there are no guarantees when dealing with aging infrastructure that's more than 60 years old."

• Gadis said replacing the entire pipeline — which moves sewage from Dulles into Maryland to D.C. — would be a "herculean task."

Flashback: Years before the January rupture, Gadis said D.C. Water sought to fix corrosion around the site, but blamed the National Park Service for not issuing permits.

• The delay: Environmental reviews that studied potential harms to endangered bats and a blue wildflower, the Washington Post previously found.

Context: A cause wasn't determined for the collapse that sent hundreds of thousands of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac, Gadis said.

• Exacerbating the repair efforts were 18-ton boulders, roughly the weight of 10 cars, that caused more overflows.
• As of "many weeks ago," river water quality returned to normal, Gadis said, though residents living nearby complained at a recent town hall of a lingering stench.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details about the repair projects.