clean Water Blog

The fight for clean water happens on many fronts.

Our clean water blog helps you discover how to best make your impact.

From environmental advocacy to community organizing to DIY solutions, our blog serves as a rich resource to equip you with what you need to keep your local watershed clean.

We have over 50 years of collective wisdom and direct experience as leaders in the fight to keep the Baltimore Watershed clean. And although our core focus is issues in Baltimore and Maryland, this clean water blog can serve watershed residents across the USA.

Stay informed on the latest lessons and updates on the road to creating cleaner waterways and a greener Baltimore!

PRESS RELEASE: Blue Water Baltimore Alerts MDE to Major Deficiencies at Baltimore’s Wastewater Treatment Plants

Our Clean Water Blog

a young girl looking through a magnifying glass
Legislation | Outreach | Water Quality

From Streams to the Statehouse: Kids Speak for Clean Water

This spring, Blue Water Baltimore partnered with our friends at The St. Paul’s School to engage 55 third graders in stream discovery and learning about the Urban Water Cycle at their campus in Timonium. Our team of engagement specialists devised a full day of experiential learning for the students, which started out with a “toilet…

Legislation

2025 Maryland Legislative Session Wrap-Up: Speaking Up for Clean Water

On April 7th, the Maryland General Assembly concluded its 2025 legislative session.  Once again Blue Water Baltimore brought the Patapsco and Back River watersheds to Annapolis, ensuring our waterways and their communities were heard by decision-makers loud and clear.  From landmark victories that will shape our communities for years to come, to missed opportunities that…

Uncategorized

Last Chance to Make a Difference for Baltimore’s Waterways in 2024

A clean and thriving Baltimore starts with people like you. Thanks to your incredible support, this year has seen progress for Baltimore’s waterways. Together, we’ve: Engaged over 250 youth and adults through programming, including our It’s Alive! aquatic bug hunt, What’s in Your Water community science program, Outfall Screening Blitzes, and trash-clean-ups.Sampled our routine monitoring…

Uncategorized

BWB Comments on Baltimore City MCD Revised O&M Plan

We’re proud to highlight the impactful work of Blue Water Baltimore in safeguarding our waterways! As a key advocate in the fight against sewage overflows, we’ve been actively involved in the Modified Consent Decree to enhance the operation and maintenance of Baltimore’s sanitary sewer system.  Here are some vital improvements we’re pushing for to protect…

a man diving into a pool in a backyard
Pollution

Stay Cool, Don’t Pool-lute!

Photo by Lachlan Hardy, used under Creative Commons License. As the days heat up and summer comes into view, remember to keep an eye out for signs of water pollution near you (and let us know about it!). Earlier this month we received several reports through our Pollution Reporting Hotline about a heavy discharge coming…

a group of people standing around a tree
Law | Newsletter | Trees

Change in Tree Law Means a Greener Baltimore

On May 1st, Mayor Brandon Scott signed City Council Bill 23-04654 into law to protect trees on recreation and parks property. This was a change Blue Water Baltimore supported, and will help our goal of increasing Baltimore’s tree canopy, improving water quality and combating the urban heat island effect that makes our city hotter than…

a woman standing in front of a microphone
Environmental Justice | Newsletter

Meet the Director

Sydnee Wilson Ruff grew up with a foot in each of the two Baltimores. From her home in Park Heights, where 96% of residents are Black and more than a quarter fall under the Federal poverty line, she commuted to private schools in some of the wealthiest Baltimore neighborhoods, where 71% of residents are white….

three people in waders standing in the water
Enforcement | Law | Pollution | Water Quality

BWB and CLA announce Settlement in Jones Falls Vinegar Co. Case

Baltimore, MD – Blue Water Baltimore, along with its attorneys at Chesapeake Legal Alliance and Saul Ewing, LLP announce today a settlement agreement with Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company for alleged pollution violations into the Jones Falls, a local waterway in Baltimore which drains to the Inner Harbor.  The agreement comes after Blue Water Baltimore filed a…

Jack Boyson, wearing sunglasses and a hat steering a boat
Guest Post

Jack’s Journey to BWB

Our board members come from all backgrounds and walks of life, but they share a passion for preserving and restoring the health of our waterways. New board member Jack Boyson first worked with us a few years ago on a sewage overflow problem near Stony Run, and was willing to share the story. By Jack…

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