What does clean water mean to you?
Does it mean floating or boating the Deschutes River and knowing that the water is safe to swim in?
Is it fishing with your grandkids or for your whole tribe and knowing that the fish are safe to eat?
Is it knowing that the water coming out of your tap or from your well is pure?
Is it knowing that our city streets, our land use practices and the fertilizers we put on our lawns aren’t polluting local rivers, lakes and streams?
Is it knowing that we’ll have enough water for all of our needs while protecting the ecosystems that depend on it as climate change increases the severity of drought?
With more than 111,000 stream miles and 1,400 named lakes in Oregon, these are important questions to be asking – and many are difficult to find answers to.
Recent headlines have revealed that Oregon has the second-worst water quality permit backlog in the country. Warming rivers contribute to toxic algae blooms and are affecting the recovery of endangered fish. Increasing numbers of wildfires and aging infrastructure will threaten drinking water supplies for millions of Oregonians. And in many areas, officials have promised more water than nature can provide.
OEC has been working to protect the waterways we love since 1968, before the Clean Water Act was passed and many of Oregon’s landmark environmental protections. We’ve come a long way since the days when the Willamette River was a dumping ground for raw sewage and industrial waste, but we are facing a new set of water challenges that threaten our health, our economy, and our way of life.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
We’re collecting your stories about clean water to highlight what Oregonians’ care about most and to keep the pressure on policymakers to protect this precious resource. Help us build a chorus of public support to ensure the state is investing in the health of our children and future generations.
Share what clean water means to you today!
SUBMIT YOUR STORY
JOIN US FOR GET DIRTY FOR CLEAN WATER
Oregon Environmental Council’s 5th annual Get Dirty event returns on Saturday, Nov. 4 to shine a light on water pollution, the need for clean drinking water, and the state of Oregon’s iconic rivers and lakes.
- Get Dirty for Clean Water, presented by OEC’s Emerging Leaders Board
- Saturday, Nov. 4, 4:00-8:00 p.m. (drinks/silent auction 4:00-6:00 p.m.; live music 6:30-8:00 p.m.)
- Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., Portland, OR
Headlined by R&B soul act Tribe Mars, and hosted by OEC’s Emerging Leaders Board, this event will help elevate awareness of the water challenges facing the state and encourage sustainable solutions to protect the places Oregonians live, work, and play.
EVENT DETAILS:
A silent auction featuring gear and adventures donated by local businesses will begin at 4:00 p.m. with a DJ set by Gepetto. Themed drink specials and appetizers from Bamboo Sushi and Tamale Boy will be provided. Speakers will present at 5:30 p.m., and Tribe Mars will perform starting at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased for $12 online at www.getdirtyforcleanwater.com or $15 at the door.
Clean water is Oregon’s next big challenge. In rural, urban and suburban communities, water fuels our economy and defines our many ways of life. We have a history of coming together to make a difference for our environment, and now it’s time to put that energy into action for our water resources.
SUBMIT YOUR STORY
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