From mountains to sea, Waterkeeper organizations across California are fighting to promote and protect our drinkable, fishable, swimmable, drinkable and sustainable water.
Now, our collective work to protect clean water is featured in the summer 2018 issue of Vanity Fair. As the writer puts it, “The Waterkeepers are the closest thing to aquatic superheroes that the Golden State’s got.”
We are honored to be recognized for our work alongside our fellow Waterkeeper organizations. The article is available in print and online now.
Check out the full article here.
Map by: Simone Noronha
Here are some of our favorite quotes from the story:
Protecting Swimmable, Fishable and Sustainable Water in Orange County
“Orange County Coastkeeper executive director Garry Brown, whose organization is another member of the alliance, advised on the planning and construction of the Groundwater Replenishment System, which turns wastewater into 100 million gallons of clean water each day, using it to refill sand and gravel basins in the Anaheim aquifer, indirectly providing drinking water and acting as a barrier to seawater intrusion.
“The system won the Stockholm Industry Water Award, a sort of Nobel Prize for water-conservation projects, in 2008. In O’Malley’s district, the Pure Water Project is in its initial stages at the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant.
“It is the largest wastewater-recycling project of its kind in the country, and he hopes it will eventually allow San Diegans to go Orange County one better and obtain up to one-third of their drinking water directly from the plant. Brown says that his county and others are working on wastewater recycling as well.
“‘There’s competition now, and it’s going to be a race to see who’s first.’
“These are just a few of the measures Orange County is taking to secure its water supply for residents and wildlife. To foster fish habitats in Upper Newport Bay, Brown’s team has planted eelgrass and oyster beds, which serve as water filters.”
