Washington, D.C. – D.C. Water celebrated a milestone on the Potomac River Tunnel this week, christening the second tunnel boring machine, Emily, just steps from the Lincoln Memorial in West Potomac Park. The ceremony, featuring a bottle of District tap water and a countdown, highlighted the progress of the agency’s $3.2 billion Clean Rivers Project, a multibillion‑dollar effort to capture stormwater and sewage before it can overflow into the city’s waterways.
Why the tunnel matters
The Potomac River Tunnel is a central component of the Clean Rivers system, designed to dramatically reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) that have long plagued the District’s waterways. D.C. Water estimates the new tunnel will cut CSOs into the Potomac by 93 %, protecting both the river’s ecosystem and the health of residents who enjoy its banks.
Senior communications manager Sherri Lewis told WTOP, “We’re actually in the tunnel, about 100 feet underground. It is really just an amazing feat of science and engineering.” Lewis noted that the system is already delivering results on the Anacostia River, where the tunnel network is operational.
Emily joins her sister machine Mary
The first tunnel boring machine, Mary, has already excavated more than 760 feet heading north toward Georgetown University. Emily is slated to be lowered into a shaft in the coming months and begin tunneling in early 2027, moving 3.1 miles south toward Joint Base Anacostia‑Bolling.
Both machines honor the legacy of abolitionist sisters Mary and Emily Edmonson, who attempted to escape slavery along the Potomac River. “We honor them by naming our two tunnel boring machines for them,” Lewis said. “We hope that their legacy will live on for generations to come through the tunnels that we’re doing.”
Community Day invites the public underground
Following the christening, D.C. Water opened the site to the public for a Community Day. Visitors toured the construction area, which Lewis described as a “little mini city,” and some even descended into the tunnel shaft.
Among the guests was twelve‑year‑old Josh Weston, who came with two friends to see the massive equipment up close. Local resident Monty Monash brought her two sons and bravely climbed into a crane‑lowered basket more than 100 feet underground, saying, “I did not look because if I looked, I probably wouldn’t be as brave.”
Jennifer, who attended with her son, expressed newfound appreciation for the work of her husband, a D.C. Water employee. “Seeing it firsthand, I understand now why he gets home tired,” she said.
Looking ahead
Vice President for the Clean Rivers Project Moussa Wone called the ceremony “an important milestone as Emily gets ready to begin her underground work,” emphasizing the tradition of blessing the machines to invoke safety, health, and well‑being for the crews working below the surface. Interim General Manager Matt Brown echoed the sentiment, noting the event serves as a reminder of the agency’s commitment to protecting both workers and the environment.
With completion expected in 2030, the Potomac River Tunnel will join the broader Clean Rivers infrastructure to safeguard the District’s water quality for future generations, reinforcing D.C. Water’s mission to provide a clean, resilient water system for the nation’s capital.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
