I was handed a well-used copy of the Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual on my first day at River Network. My supervisor, Katherine Baer, told me to keep it close by as I would use it often. She was right. Today, that copy is riddled with my own notes and sits beside my copy of River Network’s 3rd edition of the Manual, published in 2022.

For 25 years, our Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual has been a steadfast source of guidance, illuminating the way through political turbulence and setbacks, as well as leaps in progress, toward the water protections we need and deserve. The knowledge and connections gained through River Network trainings – whether in person, virtual, or through the well-worn pages of the Manual – elevate its impact by helping advocates become stronger champions for their waters. Today, as the team at River Network grapples with devastating cuts proposed for our environmental protections and institutions, I’m reminded why upholding and strengthening the Clean Water Act is so important. 

Since the release of this most recent edition of the Manual, nearly 800 advocates have been trained on the Act, its uses, and how community action can drive better protections for rivers and streams. That’s 12,800 informed clean water advocates over the Manual’s lifetime! 

“This training was eye-opening,” shared one participant. “There’s so much we can do to advocate for our waterways. I feel more confident in my job as an advocate because I have a better understanding of the Clean Water Act.” 

This sentiment echoes the experiences of hundreds of advocates who participated in Clean Water Act trainings over the last few years. We hit the road, from Alabama to Wisconsin, to meet with and train advocates on the challenges of our time and strategies for action through the Act.

Cade Kistler (Mobile Baykeeper) presenting at the Clean Water Act Workshop at the Alabama Water Rally.

Our first stop was Alabama Water Rally, where we partnered with local experts to run a workshop on Clean Water Act pollution permits, water equity standards, and citizen enforcement of the Act. Participants reviewed their local water quality standards, dissected a pollution permit, and identified actionable next steps to reduce pollution.

The focus at our Pennsylvania workshops was community science: sharing data and knowledge with state environmental agencies and participating in the State Integrated Water Quality Assessment Report through public comments. Several attendees submitted valuable water quality data to the Department of Environmental Protection, providing information on bacteria levels in areas where river recreation often occurs.

In Wisconsin, we collaborated with River Alliance of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Lakes, and Midwest Environmental Advocates to deliver a state-specific training series. We dove into Wisconsin’s unique permitting programs and wetland regulations, and advocates connected with partners about how the Sackett v. EPA ruling could affect state law. 

Colleen McGuire presenting “Safeguarding Our Waters, Exploring the Legacy and Future of the Clean Water Act,” the training designed for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC).

Learning went beyond in-person trainings, too. When Hana Katz first joined the Delaware River Basin Clean Water Act cohort – a group of advocates moving through the new online learning platform – she was eager to learn how to protect her local waterways. What she didn’t expect was the profound impact it would have on her advocacy and the ripple effect it would create.  

“River Network has created this beautiful online training platform for the Clean Water Act,” Hana says in the episode. “I said, ‘Hey everyone at ANJEC, I just finished this awesome training series, and I’d like to see if we can bring environmental commissioners into the fold.’” Listen to Hana share this story on the At the Water Table podcast.

Screenshot from Module 1: Clean Water Act Program Overview in River Network’s Clean Water Act Training Series.

The advocates we’ve trained across the country – from community scientists in Pennsylvania to tribal leaders in Arizona – are rising to protect their rivers and ensure clean water for all. They’re organizing, advocating, and holding polluters accountable. And, like the overwhelming majority of voters, they understand that healthy rivers and strong environmental protections are essential for their communities to thrive.

This network proves time and again that, despite setbacks, we can drive progress forward and push back against harmful policies. The Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual puts power directly into the hands of advocates, giving them the knowledge and tools to ensure their waters and communities are protected. 

River Network is proud to connect passionate water advocates with the tools, resources, and partnerships that make change. As I look to the road ahead, one thing I carry with me is gratitude. I am so grateful to be part of a network of passionate, ever-forward, river and justice advocates working to protect people, not polluters. 

You, too, can join this movement. The self-paced Clean Water Act training series is available and free, and the Clean Water Act Owner’s Manual will always be yours. Bookmark or print yourself a copy, scribble in the margins, drip coffee between pages, and keep it close by. It may be a long road ahead, but River Network is here to walk it alongside you.