Who had the worst week in Washington? GSA workers and their exploding toilets.

The federal government is in the toilet. Literally.

Commodes exploded — great band name, by the way — at the General Services Administration on Monday, injuring two people (not a laughing matter) and causing the GSA to shutter the 64 bathrooms and 320 stalls in the building because of a dangerous plumbing situation. (File that under “sentences I never thought I would type.”)

Loading...

Comments

• Weigh In
• Corrections?

Worst Week in Washington

Chris Cillizza grants the award to the Democrat, Republican, West Wing dweller, Capitol Hill insider, K Street dealer, business guru, sports hero, think tank scribblers or other inhabitant of Planet Beltway who experienced the absolute worst week.

Archive

• Nominate your candidate

Chuck White, vice president of technical and code services for the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association, described the “how” of a toilet explosion thusly in an interview with The Washington Post’s Lisa Rein: “You get a geyser.”

By mid-week the situation had been rectified, but it had to leave federal workers wondering what else could go wrong in a year filled with drama.

After all, the federal government was within four days of shutting down (again) this week amid (another) funding battle between House Republicans, Senate Democrats and the Obama White House.

In an uncertain world — working for the federal government at a time when cutting spending is all the rage in the capital is among the least certain gigs you can get — people need firm foundations to stand on. Or sit on.

GSA employees, for the indignities you’ve suffered, in and out of the restroom, you had the worst week in Washington. Congrats, or something.

Have a candidate for the Worst Week in Washington? E-mail Chris Cillizza at chris.cillizza@wpost.com.

Read more from Outlook, friend us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.