Anacostia and Potomac River users have recently become better informed about pollution issues affecting our waterways, thanks to a new Water Quality Flagging Project that the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) is conducting.

Modeled after a highly successful program on the Charles River in Boston, this Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded initiative focuses on testing fecal coliform bacteria levels in the rivers, and notifying the public when these levels exceed accepted thresholds. When the bacterial contamination is above the EPA acceptable standard of 1000 colonies per 100ml of water, AWS raises yellow cautionary flags at five boating access points, alerting recreational paddlers to the potential health risks associated with the water, and advising them to wash if they come into contact with it.

“We feel that this is a needed public service for river users, and something which will also help raise public awareness about the fact that raw sewage overflows 

into our rivers during rainstorms,” said Jim Connolly, Executive Director of AWS.

Because the public perception has defined the rivers as unhealthy to associate with or be around, more than two generations of Washingtonians have turned their back on the rivers, and this has only exacerbated the problems. Today, government agencies such as the DC Water And Sewer Authority (WASA), and the DC Environmental Health Administration (EHA) estimate that more than two billion gallons of raw sewage are discharged into the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers every year.

“It’s an outrage that this huge volume of sewage continues to foul our rivers,” said Robert Boone, President of the Anacostia Watershed Society. “This is completely unacceptable that it is happening in the twenty first century.”

There is growing pressure from recreational boaters and more than forty school-based crew teams for healthy places to practice and enjoy their sport, and to have an acceptable venue for competition. More than 1,800 paddlesport participants make use of the rivers on a regular, if not daily, basis during the season.

AWS, in partnership with EPA, WASA, DC EHA and several community stakeholder groups, has mounted a campaign to end or reduce the combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into our Washington rivers. From our 12 years of experience working in Anacostia communities, there is a known correlation between polluted rivers and low community esteem. In neighborhoods where trash and pathogens do not dominate the riverine environment, property values are higher and the community is more cohesive. 

AWS's mission is to restore the health and recreational use of the Anacostia River for all the people in our region. Although CSOs are not the only problem associated with the water, it is one that can be addressed. Increasing public awareness about the daily conditions of the river will serve to build a public constituency for the remediation and blossoming of DC’s Waterfront and riverside communities. 

The objectives of this program are: (1) To provide updated information on water quality conditions and advise the public on appropriate periods for river recreation; (2) To raise public awareness of water quality issues in the District and surrounding areas; (3) To promote public support for Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) reduction in DC and fecal coliform abatement in the Maryland tributaries.

Currently, water quality flags are flown at Bladensburg Waterfront Park, Anacostia Community Boathouse, Earth Conservation Corps, Thompson Boat Center and Potomac Boat Club. Flag color information, and fecal coliform data are available on the AWS telephone line (301-699-6204), and on this page.