About Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper

Founded in Fall 2006, Baltimore Harbor WATERKEEPER® seeks to reclaim Baltimore’s waters from municipal and industrial pollution. BHWK acts as the eyes, ears, and voice of the Baltimore Harbor and the greater Patapsco River in the hopes of a cleaner tomorrow.

What issues does Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper address?

The Harbor is threatened by various sources of pollution, which include municipal and industrial stormwater runoff, sewage spills, agricultural runoff, and historic industrial pollutants. BHWK’s focus is on abating illegal point-source pollution – including stormwater runoff, sewage spills, and industrial dumping. To do so, BHWK:

  1. patrols the Baltimore Harbor/Patapsco River in its Waterkeeper boat
  2. monitors the quality of the water through a sampling program
  3. uses our federal and state laws to hold polluters accountable for polluting our waters!

Why is Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper necessary in Baltimore?

While many environmental organizations exist in the Baltimore area, no group is focused
specifically on enforcement of our state and nation’s laws. BHWK uses citizen enforcement of environmental laws to improve water-quality in Baltimore Harbor/Patapsco River.

Is Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper a local, national, or international organization?

Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper is a local grass-roots organization dedicated to addressing Baltimore’s water-quality issues. However, BHWK is a licensed member of an international alliance of grass-roots groups, Waterkeeper® Alliance (see www.waterkeeper.org). Over 156 “Waterkeeper” programs exist worldwide.

Contact Information:

Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper
3000 Chestnut Avenue, Suite 100
Baltimore, MD 21211
Phone: 410.366.3038
Fax: 410.366.3039

Eliza Smith Steinmeier, Executive Director and Waterkeeper
E-mail: info@harborwaterkeeper.org

Report Pollution in your streets and waterways: 410-366-3038 or pollution@baltimorewaterkeeper.org