For decades after Washington Gas shuttered its East Station plant along the Anacostia River, the toxic remnants of its operations have continued to poison the waterway. Schwalb said the agreement will finally force Washington Gas to take immediate steps to contain the pollution. Pollution from East Station has forced swimming bans, fish consumption warnings, and the loss of a public resource that should be safe for all residents. The District maintains that only full remediation of the site will achieve its goal of making the Anacostia River swimmable and fishable once again. “Widespread pollution of the Anacostia River threatens the health of the communities living along its banks [and] prevents residents from enjoying its benefits,” Nadeau wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.