50 Years Later: Anacostia River to Welcome Swimmers

The Washington, D.C. region has accomplished a major environmental victory, cleaning up the Anacostia River enough for humans to swim in for the first time in five decades.

2 minute read

June 28, 2023, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Stormwater Infrastructure

The Anacostia River Tunnel, one phase of DC Water’s Clean Rivers Project, helped prevent sewage from reaching the river. | DC Water / Clean Rivers Project

On July 8, swimmers will enter the water of the Anacostia River legally and safely for the first time in 50 years for an event called Splash, organized by the nonprofit Anacostia Riverkeeper. While the river isn’t fully open to the public for swimming yet, the occasion is a major milestone on a decades-long effort to clean up the river by removing sewage and other pollutants from the watershed.

“Water entry became illegal in 1971 after water quality safety concerns were attributed to sewage overflow, organizers said. Since then, local advocacy groups have worked to restore the cleanup of the river,” reports Jonathan Taylor in a news article announcing the historic event and accomplishment. “In the 50 years, Anacostia Riverkeeper said the sewage bacteria has decreased by 80% in key recreation sites.”

Swimming is still illegal in the rest of the river and the rest of the year, but the Splash event could be another step toward the goal of completely reopening the river to swimmers. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in December 2022 launched a study into whether the conditions of the Potomac River, and its tributary the Anacostia, allow for safe swimming.

Additional coverage of the Splash event is available from WUSA.

Previous Planetizen coverage of the Anacostia River cleanup effort:

Monday, June 26, 2023 in WJLA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Tunnel for pedestrians, bikes, and buses in Lyon, France lit up with purple lights.

The French Solution to Congested Tunnels: Make Them Car-Free

Bay Area transportation officials keep expanding car capacity. Lyon’s Croix Rousse Tunnel offers a different way.

7 hours ago - Streetsblog San Francisco

Missouri state Rep. Chris Brown speaking in government chamber.

Missouri Governor Reverses Anti-Discrimination Housing Policies

A new state law bars cities from prohibiting source-of-income discrimination against tenants using Section 8 housing vouchers.

7 hours ago - Missouri Independent

Pedestrians crossing a rainbow painted crosswalk in New York City.

USDOT Launches Unfunded 'SAFE ROADS' Program

The program targets “distractions” and “political messages or artwork,” and paves the way for autonomous vehicles.

July 16 - Urban Milwaukee