November 2021 Keeper’s Report
The Keeper’s ReportNovember 2021 Dear Friend, The water is cool, the oysters are fat, and the fall bite is on! That means it’s time to take stock of what we’ve accomplished in the fight for clean water this year. I’m happy to report it’s been another big year! Together, we: – Won a million dollar settlement over plastic pellet pollution to protect your harbor and beaches and local wildlife. – Saved and restored more than 250 acres of freshwater wetlands in West Ashley to protect the health of the Ashley River. – Upgraded water quality standards for 24 lowcountry waterways to keep you and your family safe from bacteria pollution. We did it all while testing water quality, cleaning up creeks and marshes, and restoring oyster habitat. That’s good progress, but the fight is not over. We need to continue the push to clean up James Island Creek, investigate new sources of plastic nurdle pollution, and uncover the sources of toxic contamination in local floodwater. Giving Tuesday is Nov 30 and thanks to the generosity of the Butler Family Foundation, your contribution for clean water will be doubled! You power the fight for healthier waterways everyday. Mark your calendar and stand up for clean water this Giving Tuesday and help us meet our goal! As always, thank you for standing up to protect and restore your waterways for future generations! Sincerely, Your Charleston Waterkeeper P.S. You don’t have to wait for Giving Tuesday to stand up for clean water, you can always make a contribution right now at: CharlestonWaterkeeper.org/ The Latest News 
Action for James Island Creek The bad news is there are unhealthy levels of human fecal bacteria in the water. The good news is our data is driving action and now DHEC and the EPA are giving local leaders 5 years to fix the problem. We’ll make sure they stay on task! ABC News 4: Learn More
 Flood water is polluted water Climate change driven floods and rainstorms don’t just snarl traffic and damage homes and businesses. They are major pollution events for your local waterways that won’t be fixed with seawalls and pumps. Count on 2 News: Watch Today  That’s a wrap on season 9! Do you know when and where it’s safe to swim? During the 2021 testing season 41% of our samples showed bacteria levels higher than the state standard for safe swimming. Next season, know before you go! Live 5 News: Learn More
Member Spotlight: Kent Griffin We had the pleasure of catching up with Charleston Waterkeeper’s Board Chair and long time supporter! We asked Kent why he stands up for clean water: “I choose to support Charleston Waterkeeper because I believe in the critical importance of protecting our natural waters–I believe in acting locally–and I’ve been really impressed by the practical, results driven work of the team.”  Clean Water Wins  #ChasWaterkeeper  Revel on the River was a more than 90% waste free event! Thanks for letting us help out with waste services for the Revel on the River event! I just wanted to let you all know that you had a total landfill diversion of 92.3%, which is awesome! An estimated 60 pounds of waste kept out of the landfills. Thanks for hosting a sustainably minded event, which of course we knew you would. – Jamie Gillette, Keep Charleston Beautiful Let’s get social |
