On March 28, 1993, a section of pipeline owned and operated by the Colonial Pipeline Company burst near the Sugarland Run in Reston, Virginia. Approximately 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel ran overland and discharged into Sugarland Run. While some of the oil was contained using booms, a significant amount still found its way into the Potomac River; traces of diesel fuel could be found 50 miles downstream from the spill. In addition, floodwater from heavy spring rains carried the oil beyond the banks of the river, contaminating riparian woodlands. Strong petroleum fumes drove visitors and staff away from miles of riverside parks, including the famed Tidal Basin, site of the Jefferson Memorial. Fairfax County, Virginia, a highly populated area which includes the town of Reston, was temporarily forced to seek alternative drinking water supplies for over one million customers.