Understanding and Improving Anacostia Watershed Water Quality

Abstract

The Anacostia River Watershed is an often-overlooked watershed in the backyard of the nation’s capital. While water quality has improved throughout the rest of the United States, the Anacostia Watershed has continued to have poor water quality, including the presence of fecal indicator bacteria that suggest the presence of other disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens). Although it’s not used for drinking water, the presence of pathogens in the Anacostia River is a public health concern as this waterbody is used recreationally and for fishing by a wide group of users, including the largely BIPOC communities that live in the watershed’s communities. Students in MIEH 600 (Foundations of Environmental Health), an introductory graduate course in the University of Maryland School of Public Health, were given the opportunity to examine priority issues identified by the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS): the impact of pet waste and vessel waste on the Anacostia River. Students applied quantitative and communication skills in two assignments: an environmental health fact sheet and a water sample report. Four students chose to create fact sheets and accompanying PowerPoint presentations. All fourteen students participated in water sampling, analysis, and water sample report preparation.