A major sewage spill into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., added urgency to reporting Mike Phillis had already been pursuing on the nation’s aging wastewater systems — revealing a widespread infrastructure crisis with direct consequences for millions of Americans.
Phillis and data journalist M.K. Wildeman found residents in nearby Baltimore living with recurring sewage backups flooding into their homes through toilets and bathtubs — a visceral sign of failing systems. Their reporting showed the problem is far from isolated: at least 18.7 million people are served by roughly 1,000 utilities in serious violation of federal pollution limits.
Wildeman’s data analysis helped quantify the national scale of the issue, while Phillis grounded the story in the lived experiences of affected communities. The reporting connected environmental policy, infrastructure decay and public health risks in a way that made the crisis both understandable and immediate.
Producer Teresa de Miguel contributed a compelling video component that brought the reporting to life and broadened its reach.
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