Overview

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Health Secretary, posted photos of himself swimming in Rock Creek with his grandchildren during a Mother’s Day outing.
• The National Park Service has prohibited swimming in Rock Creek since the 1970s due to high bacterial levels and sewage contamination from the city’s aging sewer system.
• Kennedy, known for his skepticism of germ theory and vaccines, has not responded to requests for comment on his decision to enter the contaminated waterway.
• DC Water recently announced emergency repairs to a major sewer tunnel near Rock Creek, further highlighting the creek's ongoing contamination issues.
• The incident has sparked public debate over Kennedy’s judgment as a senior health official and the broader implications for public health and environmental policy.