Overview

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Health Secretary, posted photos of himself swimming in Rock Creek, a waterway closed to public contact for over 50 years due to high bacterial levels.
• The National Park Service prohibits swimming in Rock Creek, citing health risks from fecal bacteria, E. coli, and other pathogens caused by sewer overflows.
• DC Water recently announced emergency repairs to a cracked 19th-century sewer line near the creek, further underscoring contamination risks.
• The Department of Health and Human Services has not issued a formal response to Kennedy's actions, which have drawn widespread public and media backlash.
• Kennedy's history of unconventional health stances and disregard for federal advisories has amplified scrutiny of his actions as a public health leader.