Since 2024, Town Run Watershed Group has been conducting a program of weekly sampling of Town Run for bacterial contamination, focusing on E. Coli and Total Coliform. These are considered public health “indicator organisms,” meaning they help us assess whether contamination from human or animal waste is present in our waterways.
This important work is carried out in conjunction with the Upper Potomac Riverkeeper program, which runs similar monitoring on the Potomac River and Antietam Creek.
In 2025, we expanded our analysis to include bacterial DNA testing. This work helps determine whether contamination originates from human, mammalian, or avian sources. Results of this analysis are still pending, but will give us a clearer picture of pollution sources and potential solutions.
Our ongoing monitoring is crucial to safeguarding public health and ensuring Town Run remains a thriving resource for the community and wildlife alike.
Contributed by Greg Welter, 8/12/25