Photo by Justin Shuck.

Or kayak, fish, wade, play—whatever (as long as it’s within legal bounds). The point is that the National Park Service lifted the advisory against recreational use of water in the C&O Canal.

After five million gallons of sewage spilled onto the Capital Crescent Trail and into the Potomac River and C&O Canal a couple weeks ago, the NPS issued an advisory against the recreational use of water. The severe rain storms from about April 28 to May 1 caused a break in the Upper Potomac Intercepter, which then caused millions of gallons of sewage to spill onto the Capital Crescent Trail and overflow into the Potomac River.

According to tests, the water quality standards of Canal waters are now within the standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency, a release states. On Friday, cleanup of the Capital Crescent Trail was completed and reopened, and with today’s announcement cleanup and repairs from the spill are all complete.