Our Recommendations for the Baltimore City Consent Decree

Our Recommendations for the Baltimore City Consent Decree

Don’t Move the Goalposts on Sewage The Issue Baltimore City has released its Revised Phase II Plan of the Modified Sanitary Sewer Consent Decree which includes a major extension of its deadline to 2046. This agreement was established in 2002 to get our City’s sewage spills and overflows under control for the benefit of our…

A Call for Smarter, Safer Waste Solutions in Baltimore

A Call for Smarter, Safer Waste Solutions in Baltimore

Proposed Relocation of the Sisson Street Trash Transfer Station UPDATE: Thanks to the advocacy of our community and many others, Mayor Brandon Scott has announced that he is developing a Sisson Street Task Force comprised of City Council members, community associations, and government representatives to evaluate all options related to the relocation of the Sisson…

a manhole cover flowing over rocks into a river

Let the Science Speak: Update Baltimore County’s Water & Sewer Plan Today!

An underground network of sewer pipes runs alongside our local streams and carries raw sewage from our homes and businesses to wastewater treatment plants situated on the Patapsco and Back Rivers. In a perfect system, the sewage would go from point A to point B without ever seeing the light of day. But in many…

a pile of garbage sitting on top of a sandy beach

Take Action! Ban Plastic Bags in Baltimore County

We’re just a few weeks into 2023, and there are already so many exciting advocacy initiatives to support! As Maryland’s state legislative session gets underway this week, the Baltimore County Council is also starting the year off strong by introducing a bill to ban plastic bags. Read more about this bill below and take action…

a group of people holding signs in front of a building
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Take Action! Public Hearing on Sewage Backup Assistance Programs

Sewage backups into peoples’ homes are a big problem in Baltimore City. When raw sewage spurts out from a basement-level toilet, bubbles up from a floor drain, or floods a washing machine, it presents a danger to residents’ health, causes damage to homes, and requires immediate attention and resources to fix.  Backups can be caused…

three people wearing masks standing in front of a door
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March Advocacy Updates

We’ve been busy tracking local and state legislation since our last Advocacy Update!  On March 16th, Baltimore’s City Council held a hearing on a bill to require City government operations become net zero. This was the final hearing on Councilman Mark Conway’s climate package. Now we need to tell the City Council to pass the…

Help Baltimore Tackle Climate Change!

Take Action! Fight Climate Change From raw sewage backing up into peoples’ basements to the urban heat island effect exacerbating hot temperatures, climate change poses significant risks to Baltimore’s communities, waterways, and environment. And the effects of climate change are not felt equally. As a result of systemic disinvestment, Black and brown communities are more…

a group of people holding up signs in protest
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Advocacy Update: Trees, Sewage Backups, Oh My!

The last few months at Blue Water Baltimore have been packed with important advocacy efforts in Baltimore City. We asked you to take action in support of the city’s trees and to speak out against sewage backups — and you did big time!  We have some exciting progress to share on these two issues. These…

photo of trees from a vantage point of looking up at them
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Take Action! Protect Our Urban Tree Canopy

If you follow our work at Blue Water Baltimore, you know that we are all about trees. Why? Trees clean our air and water, reduce flooding, lower temperatures and energy bills, improve public health and social cohesion, and beautify our neighborhoods.  Planting trees is a critical part of our work to restore the health of…

several garden tools are laying on the ground
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Do your part. Protect our green spaces in Baltimore!

What are native, non-native, and invasive plant species? Native species have co-evolved in specific ecosystems for thousands of years. Native plants are anchors of healthy, biodiverse communities. They have adapted to local soils and climate conditions. Each species plays a necessary role in the delicate web of life and preserves the balance and beauty of…