DirtyWaterWatch Public waters. Public record.

Virginia / Waters /

Potomac River

River in Virginia, past Alexandria, Arlington, Colonial Beach, Fairview Beach, Great Falls, Leesburg, Lewisetta, Loudoun Heights, Mason Neck, McLean, Stafford and Sugarland Run

Current status

No current status shown

No current status is assigned to this water outline. Check the water page for reports and any estimated downstream stretches. Why this status, and its source

This badge describes the water outline. Check the downstream stretches on the map and below for discharge statuses.

Map sources: water outlines and launches from OpenBoatLaunch and OpenStreetMap contributors (Open Database License); wastewater outlets from EPA and state records; downstream estimates by DirtyWaterWatch using U.S. Geological Survey maps and flow data. Base map: OpenFreeMap and OpenMapTiles.

Square boat markers mark boat launches listed by OpenBoatLaunch. Outlined boat markers are marinas and clubs: not public access.

Upstream and downstream

Potomac River is tracked as one record per state. Listed from north to south.

  1. Potomac River, DC No current status shown · 0 discharges setting a status now · latest report
  2. Potomac River, MD No current status shown · 0 discharges setting a status now · latest report
  3. Potomac River, VA (this page) No current status shown · 0 discharges setting a status now · latest report

Check Alexandria Renew Enterprises (AlexRenew WRRF and Alexandria combined sewer outfalls)'s notices · Bookmark this water page and check it before each trip · Report a missing notice or error

About this status

No current status shown: no report we track sets a status on this water now; how statuses work

Sources checked: AlexRenew Outfall Overflow Status (Alexandria combined sewer outfalls) (last successful check 2026-11-03 02:37 UTC); Virginia DEQ Pollution Response Program (PReP) pollution reports, sewage-related (last successful check 2026-11-03 02:42 UTC); Virginia Department of Health recreational water and swimming advisories (newsroom search RSS) (last successful check 2026-11-03 02:42 UTC). Status by DirtyWaterWatch, updated 2026-11-03 02:43 UTC. · Updated

Estimated downstream stretches on Potomac River

No downstream stretch has a current status here as of Nov 2, 2026, 9:43 PM EST. Check the reports below.

The last 90 days

Last 90 days, hour by hour. Red: discharge or advisory reported. Amber: caution. Hatched amber: end not confirmed. Grey: no current status on the water outline. Purple hatching: source update overdue.

No discharge, advisory or caution periods are shown for this water in this time span. Check downstream stretches and source coverage.

Source: DirtyWaterWatch calculations using the reports named above and the published status rules. Updated 2026-11-03 02:43 UTC.

Reported discharges over time

Historical charts are not available here. See the reports and sources on this page.

Reports linked to Potomac River

Sanitary sewer overflow (SSO): sewage spills from a sewer meant to carry sewage separately from rainwater. Combined sewer overflow (CSO): sewage mixed with rainwater spills from a shared sewer system.

Reports linked to Potomac River, newest first
WhenReportStatus
to Mar 17, 3:32 PMVirginia Department of Health · SSO · volume not reported report · notice · maplifted
Virginia DEQ Pollution Response Program (PReP), Northern Regional Office · SSO · 240 million gallons report · notice · mapended
to 3:26 PMAlexandria Renew Enterprises · 019 CSO 019 - Potomac River · CSO · volume not reported report · notice · mapended

Sources: Virginia Department of Health recreational water and swimming advisories (newsroom search RSS), retrieved 2026-11-03 02:42 UTC; Virginia DEQ Pollution Response Program (PReP) pollution reports, sewage-related, retrieved 2026-11-03 02:40 UTC; AlexRenew Outfall Overflow Status (Alexandria combined sewer outfalls), retrieved 2026-11-03 02:37 UTC. A report's record id and times show when you hover or focus its "report" link.

Download these reports as CSV

All reports in Virginia by year: 2026 (3 here)

Wastewater outlets on this water

Outfall: a pipe or outlet where wastewater enters a water body.

No wastewater outlet in our records is linked to this water.

Sewer operators listed for this water: Alexandria Renew Enterprises (AlexRenew WRRF and Alexandria combined sewer outfalls), Arlington County DES (Water Pollution Control Plant and collection system), Fairfax County DPWES Wastewater (Noman M. Cole Jr. Water Recycling Facility and collection system).

Boat launches

Source: OpenBoatLaunch launch records (public agency data and OpenStreetMap, Open Database License). · Potomac River on OpenBoatLaunch

Marinas and clubs on this water

Marina or club: not public access.

Nearby waters

Sources covering this water

3 records linked to this water. Updated .