Clean Water Keeps People Healthy, so We’re Still Hard at Work.

Like people across the world, CRK is closely monitoring the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. While we’ve instituted teleworking for our staff, postponed our annual Sweep the Hooch cleanup to August 29, and put many of volunteer programs on hold, we’re still working diligently to ensure that the water people depend on for hand washing and more stays protected.

Even though we may not be able to be together in person, there are still plenty of ways to get involved and make sure our river stays safe:

• Stay in touch.  Our staff will continue to protect the watershed, but will be doing so from home and outdoors, not our office, until further notice. If you have concerns about water quality in your community, you can reach staff via email. You can also stay up to date on all things CRK on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Be careful what you flush. With so many spending time at home, our pipes are facing a lot of pressure. Never flush paper towels or so called “flushable” wipes. Only toilet paper should be flushed!
• Report a problem. If you see an overflowing manhole, muddy water running off a construction site, or any other problems near your local waterway, know that our lines are always open. You can report problems online here, or contact Riverkeeper Jason Ulseth at [email protected].
• Hold a solo or family cleanup. While CRK’s group cleanups are postponed, staff is still getting out in the watershed and cleaning up sites where we can. You can do that too – grab some trash bags and hit your favorite park along the river after making sure that it’s open to visitors. If it’s not, why not clean up around your neighborhood? Take some pictures or video of your efforts and share them with us on social media by tagging @crkeeper on Instagram and Twitter, or @chattahoocheeriverkeeper on Facebook.
• Support your favorite spot along the Chattahoochee. In celebration of Sweep the Hooch turning 10 years old, we’re offering a new way to show your support for a clean river. Think about your favorite site along the Chattahoochee River and share why you love it with friends and family. Then, collect donations to help us reach our $10,000 goal.
• Help us help you. CRK staff is ready and willing to act as a guest speaker during your next online meeting or class. We can talk about the health of our waterway, what you and your community can do to help it, the STEM applications behind what we do, and more. Email [email protected] or a member of our staff to learn more.
• Take action. While the Georgia legislative session is suspended, bills that address timely issues like removing coal ash in our groundwater and protecting rural property rights will be considered as soon as the General Assembly reconvenes. You can stay involved and contact your elected officials about important environmental issues through Protect Georgia, our online advocacy system that puts you directly in touch with decision makers.
•  Clean water is key to helping people stay healthy. We’re staying busy and maintaining our commitment to protecting this vital resource so that you and millions of others can continue to depend on it for hand washing and more. If you are able to at this time, please visit our website to make tax-deductible donations toward our work.

Currently, our work involves practicing social distancing while in the field to identify and locate sewer spills, clean out trash traps, deploy real-time water quality monitors, and continue our work to connect more people to the water we all depend on.

Remember, nature is never cancelled. We hope you’ll join us as we adapt to these changing conditions and stick to our mission of keeping watch over the Chattahoochee River.