President Trump has declared an emergency over the Potomac River sewage spill in the Washington, DC area. 

He formally approved a disaster declaration on Saturday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responding to the situation. 

"The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe," FEMA said in a statement.