The Hepatitis A outbreak is an obvious public health emergency, but what is less obvious to some; it’s also an environmental one. As documented by the San Diego Regional Water Quality Board, many of the county’s waterways show fecal contamination and the presence of Hepatitis A. According to the board, human waste that originates from homeless encampments along creeks and rivers is a major source of the fecal contamination. Two San Diego City Council members recently wrote a joint letter expressing their concern about the effects of the outdoor camps on the San Diego River.