For more than a decade, Dean Naujoks has dedicated his career to protecting the Potomac River as a Potomac Riverkeeper. Dean is a fearless advocate—he’s not afraid to take on the “big bullies” responsible for polluting the nation’s waterway. He’s sued multi-billion dollar corporations, he’s taken regional cities to court, and he’s rallied grassroots support in DMV communities for clean water legislation. Dean does it all. Whether it’s testifying on the witness stand against these big corporations or speaking to the public about the risks of pollution, Dean is actively involved in protecting the Potomac in as many ways as he can. This film tells Dean’s story of activism in his own words and spotlights his fight for clean water.

The Anacostia River, nicknamed “DC’s forgotten river,” is an infamously polluted tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. One of only three US rivers to be legally “impaired by trash,” it is also plagued by industrial pollution and toxic sewage outflows. But after years of work from local activists, progress for the river’s restoration is being made—so much that the Anacostia may soon be swimmable for the first time in over half a century. Could the success on the Anacostia be a sign that “Chesapeake Bay 2025” clean water deadlines are feasible?