Look who stopped by: Tina Meyers of Blue Water Baltimore

On September 25^th Tina Meyers came by our classroom to inform us about the level of pollution in our city of Baltimore, Maryland and how we can support Blue Water Baltimore to alleviate it. 

Did you know Tina is the Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper?

Yep, it’s an official title and it’s on her business card. It means that she patrols and monitors water quality of the Baltimore Harbor and Patapsco River and uses federal and state laws to hold polluters accountable.Her position is part of the Baltimore Harbor WATERKEEPER program created by Blue Water Baltimore. Furthermore, this program is a licensed member of the international organization called Water Keeper Alliance. 

Also, she is an environmental attorney that goes after the big guys like the former owners of the Sparrows Point Steel Plant.  The Baltimore Harbor WATERKEEPER and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation filed a suit in federal court in 2010 and seeks an investigation and cleanup of decades of pollution. Historic industrial pollution is one of the sources of pollution plaguing the Baltimore Harbor ecosystem. Another is sewage spills.

Baltimore Sewage Overflows

Tina showed us shocking photos of sewage wandering into Baltimore waterways. This city has a aging sewage system that sometimes can't handle the load and overflows into area waterways.

In this slide Tina was telling us the indicators of sewage in local body of water. The most surprising was the appearance of "Suds" or the suds that come from our soaps. I always figured that cleaning agent would dissolve once it flowed into a bigger collection of water. It made me conscious of the impact of my daily life on local water quality and the necessity of renovating Baltimore infrastructure. And now I want to share this new piece of knowledge. Through an educational outreach our truck can inform people on the quality of their local water.

Why the Design Team Cares About Local Pollution

In order to design a book and handouts about water security, my design team has researched, presented, and written about water usage, security, and management. This local phenomenon of water mismanagement informs us of the state of water in America. In my research I examined case studies on India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, but water is not perfect here in America. So it's eye opening that I can easily walk to these sites in Baltimore City and see water pollution for myself.

Learn More about Your Local Water

For those in the Baltimore area, you can check Blue Water Baltimore's biweekly monitoring of bacteria levels. They check the Middle Branch and Northwest Branch of the Patapsco River, so check out the health of your local water.

Also for those nearby, you can report pollution to Blue Water Baltimore. It helps the organization keep track of the area and hold the polluters legally responsible. 

Not in Baltimore? Find out the Waterkeeper for your local waterways. 

-Ashley Renee Ferebee