Because the best drinking water comes from a healthy river
You are 2/3 water, which comes primarily from the water you drink. If you are one of the 5 million people living in the Washington, DC region, the Potomac River is the likely source of your drinking water.
A healthy Potomac River not only protects our most treasured wildlife and habitat but it is also an important way of protecting the health of you and your family. That is why Potomac Riverkeeper has launched Pure Potomac, teaming up with responsible businesses, recreational groups and individuals like you to make sure that everyone living, working and playing in the region knows both where their drinking water comes from and what they can do to help keep our river clean.
Ensuring a Pure Potomac starts right here with you. Learn more on this site about your drinking water. You can start by testing your knowledge by taking our Pure Potomac River Quiz.
Background photo courtesy of Roy Sewall
Pure Potomac is a project of Potomac Riverkeeper, Inc.
What's in My Water?
It's often hard to understand what's not visible to the naked eye. While our drinking water drawn from the Potomac meets or exceeds testing standards for a little over 100 pollutants, there are many others that slip through the water treatment screening process - and into our water supply - without ever being tested. These pollutants include fertilizers, pesticides, and other endocrine disrupting chemicals.
Learn more at PotomacRiverkeeper.org/pure-potomac
Why Should I Care?
The impact endocrine disrupting chemicals have on fish and amphibians is well documented. Between 80-100% of fish sampled in parts of the Potomac have ovaries in their testes - a condition known as "intersex." This is a cause for concern, because the water these fish swim in, the water in our reservoirs, and the water that comes out of our faucet... it's all from the same source: the Potomac River.
Learn more at PotomacRiverkeeper.org/pure-potomac
How Can I Help?
- Take the Pure Potomac Pledge and help us get 1,000 pledges in our first 100 days to make a statement that protecting the Potomac matters!
- Make a donation and for the price of one morning coffee or a microbrew each month (both which are mostly Potomac River water), you can help protect the Potomac!
- Let us help you make change happen in your daily life with actions that fit your lifestyle and directly protect your drinking water.
- Get your business, organization or club involved by partnering to promote a Pure Potomac.
I Want to Donate!
Donate at PotomacRiverkeeper.org by clicking here.