Is This A Joke? Baltimore City Declares Toxic Inner Harbor “Swimmable”

No, this is not a joke. 

The Waterfront Partnership, led by Laurie Schwartz for nearly two decades, and Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott have announced that the water in the Inner Harbor—a long-standing industrial port city on the East Coast known for its history of industry, manufacturing, shipping, transportation, toxic pollutants, and chronic sewage spillovers—has suddenly become “swimmable and fishable.”

On June 23, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott will make the ceremonial jump into the Baltimore Harbor from a floating dock at Bond Street Wharf in Fells Point to celebrate the Waterfront Partnership’s milestone of allegedly creating a harbor clean enough to swim in. 

“I know the data, I know the water is safe, and that’s why I’ll be jumping in the harbor,” Scott said on the nonprofit’s website. 

Where have we heard ‘trust the science’ before? 

Do you notice anything about the members of the Waterfront Partnership? 

Thanks, but no thanks… Just weeks ago. 

Has the city cleaned up all the accumulated toxic waste sediment and sewage discharge materials? 

Not according to this…

Just because the nonprofit operates trash interceptors in the harbor to improve optics – doesn’t mean toxic pollutants on a micro level are gone. 

“Every time it rains, trash, bacteria, heavy metals, and other pollutants are washed from city streets and roofs into local streams and the harbor,” nonprofit Blue Water Baltimore stated on its website. 

Blue Water Baltimore’s website shows bacteria sensors in the harbor are failing… 

Given all of this, why would Schwartz and Scott promote such an event next month to entice people to jump into a polluted body of water? 

Using Sayari’s data on public records and financial intelligence, we find that Schwartz has her fingerprints on several projects across the metro area, from trash-collecting wheels to ice rinks to parks. This event may allow her to justify running even more taxpayer funds through the nonprofits. 

Or does Scott need better optics on a city that is still imploding with violent crime and a population collapse? 

Whatever you do, don’t jump in the water.