D.C. Mayor Bowser declares a state of emergency after a sewage spill into the Potomac River

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency Wednesday and asked President Donald Trump to provide federal resources to help the city combat a sewer system leak that dumped 250 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River in its early stages.

“Our first priority is the region, and we will use all resources, local, federal, provincial, or otherwise, to support the operations of the region and what is best for the people of the region,” D.C. Deputy Mayor Lindsay Appiah said. A press call announcing the mayor’s decision.

He watches: A massive sewage spill into the Potomac River has become a political flashpoint

The domestic declaration asks the president to issue a presidential emergency disaster declaration. She is seeking full compensation for the money the city and local utility DC Water spend on repairs.

Among the actions, the declaration “will direct FEMA to conduct regular interagency coordination calls between federal agencies, affected states, and the region to maintain joint situational awareness and align federal assistance.”

It also calls for a variety of other steps, including requiring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to participate in evaluating various elements of water and sewer systems as well as assistance from the Small Business Administration if there are economic impacts. “Federal entities are there to support this type of activity,” Appiah said.

The mayor’s announcement comes two days after the president launched criticism for the handling of the leak on Truth Social. Most of his criticism focused on Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat.

He watches: White House briefing addresses Zelensky’s criticism and Potomac sewage spill

“There is a massive environmental disaster unfolding in the Potomac River as a result of the gross mismanagement of local Democratic leaders, especially Governor Wes Moore of Maryland,” one post read.

Trump indicated that no local officials had requested emergency assistance and that he intended to intervene. The federal government was already engaged in remediation and assessing the impact of the spill through the Environmental Protection Agency.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the emergency declaration request.

Appiah said the city mayor assessed the situation and decided that the declaration was the appropriate measure to bring in the necessary resources and coordination to fix the leak and compensate the city. Washington is also making long-term requests for other projects that are critical infrastructure concerns, Appiah said.

The massive 72-inch (183 cm) diameter pipeline, known as the Potomac Interceptor, exploded on January 19. The spill sent 250 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Potomac River in northern Washington in the first five days.

DC Water, the local utility, is working with other agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, to fix the leak and monitor the environmental impact on the river. The leak has been mostly brought under control, although it could take months to completely repair the pipe.

The 72-inch (183 cm) pipeline, called the Potomac Interceptor, was installed in the 1960s. Drinking water is safe, but people using the Potomac River recreationally are warned not to come into direct contact with the water.

Betsy Nicholas, president of the Potomac River Guardians Network, said her organization, which is also monitoring the effects of the spill, would welcome federal support.

“Our most urgent needs are clarity on timelines, monitoring data and coordination between government agencies,” she said. Nicholas said funding is needed to analyze the damage to the river’s ecosystem, which includes recreation and commercial interests.