Context:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, shared photos of himself and his grandchildren swimming in Rock Creek, a Washington waterway known for handling sewer overflow and containing high levels of bacteria, including E. coli. Despite the long-standing city ban on swimming in Rock Creek and other District waterways due to fecal contamination, Kennedy chose to swim during a Mother’s Day hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park. The creek, which is downstream from Piney Branch, receives about 40 million gallons of untreated sewage and storm water overflow annually. Plans are underway to build a tunnel to reduce sewage flow into these waterways. Kennedy's actions are consistent with his history of risky adventures, including past incidents of consuming bushmeat and dealing with animal carcasses in exotic locations.

Dive Deeper:

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted photos on social media of himself and his grandchildren swimming in Rock Creek, a creek in Washington known for sewer overflow and contamination, despite a city-wide ban on swimming in its waterways due to health hazards.

• Rock Creek serves as a drainage system for excess sewage and storm water, resulting in high levels of fecal bacteria and pathogens like E. coli, making it dangerous for human and pet contact.

• Kennedy's swim took place during a Mother’s Day hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park, situated downstream from Piney Branch, where the creek receives significant volumes of untreated sewage each year.

• City officials plan to construct a tunnel to mitigate the sewage flow into Piney Branch and Rock Creek, aiming to improve water quality and reduce health risks.

• Kennedy is known for his adventurous and often reckless behavior, reminiscent of his youth when he engaged in risky activities such as eating bushmeat and interacting with wildlife carcasses, and has even claimed to have had a parasitic worm in his brain.