A plumbing problem at the headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency caused water fountains to overflow with smelly black sewage Friday morning, according to E&E News.
A water fountain at the EPA backed up and started spewing sewage into the hallway https://t.co/ct1LtxAO2M
EPA employees reportedly received an email Friday morning informing them of the matter.
"There is a water line back up in the William Jefferson Clinton North Building that is causing the hallway water fountains to leak throughout the building in the 400 and 500 Corridors," the email reportedly said. "GSA is working this issue right now. There is no estimated time for resolution."
An EPA employee reportedly said it has since been cleaned up.
Plumbing problems are apparently a common occurrence at the EPA headquarters. One former employee told E&E News there would sometimes be "very odd smells coming out of those drinking fountains."
"I can't imagine that anyone would actually drink out of those drinking water fountains," the former employee said. "I think I used it to pour my coffee down."
A spokesperson for the EPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News.
Ironically, the news of the sludge leak comes after the New York Times revealed that, under the Trump administration, the EPA has taken a more lenient approach to enforcing federal laws regarding pollution than the Obama and Bush administrations.
In a statement, however, a spokesperson for the agency denied the Times' claim.
"Administrator Scott Pruitt is committed to enforcement," the spokesperson said, adding that "there is no reduction in EPA’s commitment to ensure compliance with our nation’s environmental laws.”
It was pretty much the least subtle plot point ever in this weird TV show we appear to be living in.
way too on the nose https://t.co/V2Dn6gCRxS
2017 is not about subtlety https://t.co/MsWaiW8vkI
Peak 2017. https://t.co/4V0x9PoyL0
Like, aren't these metaphors getting just a touch heavy-handed?
2017 has the most fucking hack symbolism. Jesus please send us better writers https://t.co/gjBMlFAMuM
Writer: So then when they're gutting environmental regulations literal shit starts flowing from the drinking founta… https://t.co/vSckS3Ify8
What does The Onion write about these days? https://t.co/yd0vGno1FN
We must stop the leaks!
Welcome to the resistance, water fountain. https://t.co/mmZB5Zgjpk