What is a Riverkeeper?
Riverkeepers work to protect the public’s right to clean water by:
- Patrolling local waterways
- Tracking down sources of pollution
- Responding to citizen complaints
- Identifying problems that impact water quality
- Advocate for environmental laws and regulations to ensure clean water
A Riverkeeper is a privately-funded, non-governmental advocate for an identified river, lake, bay, or sound. Riverkeepers are recognized by their community, local government, and media as the voice for that particular body of water. Our South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper is a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance.
Most importantly, Riverkeepers advocate compliance with environmental laws, respond to citizen complaints, identify problems which affect their identified bodies of water and devise appropriate remedies to address these problems.
You can help by being our eyes and ears out on the River by joining either the South River Watershed Advisory Committee or the one for West and Rhode Rivers. Sign up below: