Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday declared a local public emergency over the month-long Potomac River sewage spill to seek federal support. A section of the Potomac Interceptor, a major sewage pipeline operated by DC Water, the primary water utility serving Washington D.C., collapsed on January 19, releasing more than 200 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River. The U.S. capital and surrounding areas have been grappling with the spill.