On a Sunday morning, US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr decided to take his grandchildren swimming but faced criticism for the choice of waters. For their day out, the former presidential candidate chose Washington's Rock Creek, despite enormous evidence of its water being contaminated with harmful bacteria.
The creek, known for its sewage runoff and unsafe water conditions, has been banned for swimming for over 50 years due to high levels of E coli, bacteria, faecal contamination and other pathogens.
Mr Kennedy shared photos on social media showing himself and his grandchildren taking dips and swimming in the creek. One image showed him submerged in the water.
This tributary receives about 40 million gallons of untreated sewage and stormwater overflow annually, according to the DC Water and Sewer Authority.
The US health secretary soon came under fire online.
A user wrote on X, "With all due respect, swimming in Rock Creek is prohibited because the water is contaminated with [poop emoji]."
"Enjoy the E. coli," a comment read.
Someone asked to call "Child Protection Services."
The National Park Service has repeatedly issued warnings against swimming in Rock Creek because of the hazardous water. "Rock Creek has high levels of bacteria and other infectious pathogens that make swimming, wading, and other contact with the water a hazard to human (and pet) health," the agency advisory says. The city's swimming ban extends across all local waterways.
City authorities have plans to address the contamination by constructing a tunnel to reduce sewage flow into Piney Branch and Rock Creek.
Robert F Kennedy Jr is often known for engaging in risky wildlife adventures. As a young man, he hunted bushmeat and survived tropical diseases during expeditions in South America and Africa. Mr Kennedy once claimed that a parasitic worm entered his brain, ate a portion of it, and then died. He has also handled the carcasses of dead animals, including a baby bear and a whale, earning a reputation for reckless outdoor adventures.
