WaterVoice DMV
Helping DC Metro residents compare recent water-quality conditions before they swim, paddle, fish, or wade in local waterways.
Content owner: Civic Tech DC organizing team. Last reviewed: July 26, 2026.
WaterVoice DMV is building a water-quality map for DC Metro waterways. It aims to help residents compare recent conditions before they swim, kayak, fish, or wade in the Potomac, Anacostia, Four Mile Run, or Rock Creek.
Water-quality readings support a decision; they do not guarantee that an activity is safe. Conditions can change between samples, and users must follow posted warnings and current public-health guidance.
One place to check scattered local data
Water-quality information is spread across federal agencies, county departments, utilities, and local environmental organizations. Each source covers a different place, uses different terms, and updates on its own schedule. People who use the water often have no single place to review those signals before they go.
WaterVoice DMV’s working vision includes:
- activity-aware guidance for swimming, paddling, fishing, and wading;
- readings from sources such as the US Geological Survey, Environmental Protection Agency, Arlington County, and Alexandria Renew;
- post-storm context when runoff may affect local waterways;
- the measurements and freshness behind a simple status;
- a mobile-friendly map for use near the water.
An old sample or missing source must remain visible. It should never appear as a current “safe” reading.
Local leadership and environmental partnership
WaterVoice DMV is led by Rajiv Sundar in partnership with the Four Mile Run Conservancy. The project brings civic technologists and local environmental stewards together around the needs of people who use DMV waterways.
Current status
WaterVoice DMV is an active project, but this page does not link to a public production service or repository. The team is still working toward a reliable map and data process.
Before launch, the project needs to confirm:
- which activities and locations the map can responsibly cover;
- permissions and update schedules for each data source;
- how it will display stale, missing, or conflicting readings;
- who will monitor data refreshes and correct errors;
- the wording of its public-health disclaimer;
- who will operate and maintain the service.
This page does not claim adoption, validated grade accuracy, fewer exposure incidents, or another measured public-health outcome.
Help build the map
WaterVoice DMV welcomes recreational water users, environmental organizations, monitoring practitioners, public-health reviewers, GIS specialists, data engineers, React developers, designers, accessibility reviewers, project managers, and community organizers.
Meet the team at a Project Night. If your community has a related environmental-data problem, bring it to Civic Tech DC.