Swimming Community in Despair After Rare 4th of July Permission Does Not Fall Through

The Anacostia River Festival organizes different events that the fans thoroughly enjoy. The event attracts residents and tourists from around the world who enjoy the mega fest. It began in 1912 at the tidal basin, which now has evolved into weeks of spectacular events spanning Washington, DC.?

To celebrate the special US day, the 4th of July, the Anacostia River authorities gave thumbs up to fans by granting their permission to swim in Anacostia. The river opened for local fans after more than 50 years of ban on swimming in it. Nearly 150 people signed up for the event, which was scheduled on 8th July. However, the plans did not go well, and the event is now postponed until September due to heavy rainstorms and sewage issues.?

?Splash? event was postponed due to severe rainfall

Most of Washington’s spring and early summer went into dry weather until the heavy rainfalls occurred in July. this rainfall also caused severe sewage water flows, and millions of gallons of sewage were dumped into the river. There are two kinds of sewage drains facilitated in the district: one drains the stormwater from the streets, and another drains the human waste.?

But the one-third population of the city relies on a ?combined sewage system? that includes just one set of pipes. And whenever there is heavy rain in the city, this combined system overflows into all the nearby waterways, including the Anacostia. The lead advocate of Anacostia River, Trey Sherard, told the Washington Post, ?The common rule of thumb is you do not want to touch an urban waterway within 72 hours of storm events.? he added, ?Storms are what drive leaks.? However, the Anacostia River keeps saying that the river would be under the Clean River Project, which will be completed by the end of the summer.?

The Anacostia swimmable river will be back soon

According to the Anacostia Riverkeeper and DOEE, the Clean River Project will be working alongside the new construction. A new section of tunnel will be placed with the cleaning project, and once it is implemented, it will be able to control 98 percent of overflowing sewage. After announcing the postponement, the riverkeepers said, ?Water quality has significantly improved over the past few decades.? They later added, ?We are as close as we have ever been to the possibility of bringing back a swimmable Anacostia.??

Read More: Rare Permission Granted for Swimming Fans Near Anacostia River to Celebrate Fourth of July

The Anacostia River Festival is now postponed until September and will be celebrated in the same location as before. Swimming fans can now take a sigh of relief after knowing The Kingman Island Dock event is back, with just a little time gap. The authorities are yet to announce a date for this September swim event.?

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