We work to protect water quality in the Potomac River, which is the source of drinking water for almost six million people. Over the last decade, our call for clean drinking water has reached millions of community members living in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Our staff of Riverkeepers and managers visit communities, giving people a snapshot of their local water quality and letting them know how they can make it better.

We also stand up to the large-scale polluters that send tons of toxic pollution into our water supply each year. Potomac Riverkeeper uses the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws to stop polluters from destroying our drinking water source and to clean up existing pollution. Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, no organization has been more effective in cleaning up our water supply.

By the Numbers

300+            Number of Riverwatcher Volunteers activated throughout the watershed
60,000 lbs    Decrease in annual illegal nutrient pollution from one Virginia sewage treatment 
                    plant because of our actions
6 Inches       Depth of lead gunshot the State of Maryland was required to remove from Great
                    Seneca Creek
$1+ million  Amount of annual pro-bono legal and expert support leveraged to protect the
                    Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers

Learn more about the impact of our work and our plans for restoring the health of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers by reading our Annual Reports and our Strategic Plan.