Expand Sewage Backup Assistance
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Expand Sewage Backup Assistance

Environmental Regulators Order Baltimore City to Expand Sewage Assistance Program – Rain or Shine July 13, 2023 The Environmental Protection Agency and the Maryland Department of the Environment have ordered Baltimore City to expand a program that helps homeowners who have suffered a sewage backup due to problems in the city’s aging sewer pipes, fulfilling…

A Statement on the Drinking Water Crisis in West Baltimore

A Statement on the Drinking Water Crisis in West Baltimore

From Tony Bridges, Executive Director of Blue Water Baltimore: The drinking water crisis in West Baltimore is a stark reminder of the systemic problems with Baltimore’s water infrastructure—a problem built over decades that presents an ongoing threat to the health of our neighbors and waterways. The mishandling of the communication from Baltimore City to the…

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PRESS RELEASE: Blue Water Baltimore Asks Court to Proceed with Case Against Baltimore City Over Wastewater Treatment Violations

Baltimore, MD – Blue Water Baltimore (BWB), home of the Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper, is proceeding in its federal case against Baltimore City originally filed in December 2021 for excessive pollution and ongoing violations of the federal Clean Water Act at the Patapsco and Back River Wastewater Treatment Plants.   The parties previously agreed to temporarily pause…

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PRESS RELEASE: Blue Water Baltimore Files Lawsuit Against Baltimore City Over Wastewater Treatment Violations

Baltimore, MD – Blue Water Baltimore (BWB), home of the Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper, filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland on Wednesday against Baltimore City for excessive pollution and ongoing violations of the Clean Water Act at the Patapsco and Back River Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs).  BWB is…

PRESS RELEASE: BWB and CBF Take Action Against Short-sighted Stormwater Permits
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PRESS RELEASE: BWB and CBF Take Action Against Short-sighted Stormwater Permits

Baltimore, MD – Blue Water Baltimore (BWB), partnering with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), today filed a petition for judicial review of  the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permits recently issued for Baltimore City and County. These permits, reviewed and re-issued every five years by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), provide requirements for municipalities to address pollution and flooding caused by…

Maryland needs to explore better ways to manage storm runoff
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Maryland needs to explore better ways to manage storm runoff

I was grateful to see front page coverage of a critical and growing issue in Baltimore — how we effectively deal with urban stormwater (“As Maryland pours millions of dollars into its ailing streams, research shows some projects don’t help clean Chesapeake Bay,” Jan 2). As we enter a new decade, we must think more holistically…

Dumbarton Middle School encourages some green thumbs
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Dumbarton Middle School encourages some green thumbs

Planting trees is a terrific activity for helping the environment and beautifying our neighborhoods. Fall can be a great time for planting trees, as Dumbarton Middle School (DMS) recently learned. In October 2019, Dumbarton partnered with Blue Water Baltimore to plant 21 trees on the school grounds. To do the job, DMS Green Club faculty advisers Janice…

Meet Your New Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper: Alice Volpitta!
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Meet Your New Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper: Alice Volpitta!

Blue Water Baltimore is pleased to announce that our lead water quality scientist Alice Volpitta has been appointed as our new Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper! A Maryland native and resident of Baltimore City, Volpitta has served as Blue Water Baltimore’s lead water quality scientist for nearly six years. Her areas of expertise include water quality monitoring,…

New report: ‘It’s not easy being green’ in Baltimore. But it could be.
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New report: ‘It’s not easy being green’ in Baltimore. But it could be.

‘It’s not easy being green’ in Baltimore, but a new report released today by Blue Water Baltimore shows that it could be. The report outlines current hurdles to creating green stormwater infrastructure – including green roofs and rain gardens – in Baltimore City. It also offers solutions for how Baltimore officials can support and expand the…