Descriptions of organizations come largely from their own websites. Any group's views and actions in their entirety do not necessarily represent the opinions of Blue Planet Links Foundation. BPL's mission is to promote sustainably healthy ocean and fresh water, and to the best of our knowledge, the listed organizations share this objective.
© 2012 Blue Planet Links
Water quality & management
Links to organizations promoting healthy
oceans and fresh waters
Look around: we are deliberately (or thoughtlessly) turning our water sources, shorelines and fish habitats TOXIC. We're ignoring climate change, using water like crazy, thinking short-term.
But some people are fighting back, thinking ahead, spreading the word, and winning battles that can make our children's world will better. Find out more below:
Canadian Water Resources Association
http://www.cwra.org/
CWRA is a national organization of individuals and organizations interested in the management of Canada's water resources. Membership is composed of private and public sector water resource professionals, including managers, administrators, scientists, academics, students and users.
International Water Association
http://www.iwahq.org
IWA connects water professionals around the globe - integrating the leading edge of professional thought on research and practice, regulators and the regulated, across national boundaries and across the drinking water, wastewater and stormwater disciplines.
National Audubon Society
http://www.audubon.org
Protecting and restoring bird habitats in lakes, rivers and wetlands.
National Groundwater Association
http://www.ngwa.org/
Organization for anyone associated with the groundwater industry. Their purpose is to provide guidance to members, government representatives, and the public for sound scientific, economic, and beneficial development, protection, and management of the world's groundwater resources.
RBC Blue Water Project
bluewater.rbc.com/ RBC provides financial support to North American not-for-profit organizations that protect watersheds and provide or ensure access to clean drinking water.
Reach for Unbleached!
http://www.rfu.org
Foundation working for a sustainable pulp and paper industry by promoting environmentally safe products and production (emphasizing non-chlorine processing, and higher, enforced discharge pollution standards).
WASH (Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council)
http://www.wsscc.org
"For one-third of the world, the real environmental crisis is squalor, smells and disease on the doorstep." India-based organization makes an informed plea to policy-makers, educators, community leaders - everyone - to speak up, be informed and mobilize resources to improve drinking water supplies and sanitation in a sustainable way, and particularly to help women and children in developing nations, who suffer the most.
Water Environment Federation
http://www.wef.org/
A non-profit organization of water quality professionals dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the global water environment.
Water Quality and Health Council
http://www.waterandhealth.org/
Along with groups such as the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the council is part of an international partnership working to bring home water treatment products to communities not served by municipal supplies or safe wells - treatments accompanied by intensive social marketing to ensure proper and continued use. Sponsored by the Chlorine Chemistry Council, so plenty of information on this web site about disinfecting procedures, usually favoriing chlorine bleach (sodium chlorite), long considered the basic "water cleaner". ""
WateReuse Association
http://www.watereuse.org/
Aim of this group, whose members are chiefly people engaged in reclaiming water, is to increase the amount of water reclamation and recycling in the world - larger-scale reclamation with some form of water treatment, as opposed to reusing kitchen water in the garden. With the Harvard School of Design, co-sponsored the 2003 symposium, "Designing the Industrial Watershed - Ecological Engineering of Process Waters, Wastewaters and Stormwaters". WateReuse Foundation engages in related research and educational activities.
"My own contribution is
just a drop in the bucket
–but together our drops
make a flood"
A single person can make a difference, but sometimes it takes a group.
More voices, more money, more workers can influence a government to change its policies... can produce materials that will make people think... can galvanize public opinion to stop habitat devastation or prevent water quality degradation.
Some groups have a particular focus: surfers want clean beaches; marine biologists and fishers alike want thriving ocean habitats; canoeists want clear, clean lakes; broad-based environmental groups may concentrate on a specific location.