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Original analysis, event updates, and perspectives from our team — written for public audiences and available to republish with attribution.

City of Miami Passes New Water Quality Law

Clean Water

City of Miami Passes New Water Quality Law

March 16, 2020

On Thursday, the City of Miami Commission unanimously passed an ordinance that will significantly reduce fertilizer pollution from reaching our waterways. Miami Waterkeeper worked closely with Commissioner Ken Russell and the City’s Office of Resilience and the Sierra Club to develop the ordinance which aims to lessen nutrient inputs to our waterways and Biscayne Bay.

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Miami Waterkeeper’s Elizabeth Kelly Published New Paper on Fecal Indicator Bacteria and Microalgae Interactions

Clean Water

Miami Waterkeeper’s Elizabeth Kelly Published New Paper on Fecal Indicator Bacteria and Microalgae Interactions

March 12, 2020

Please join us in congratulating Miami Waterkeeper’s Research Coordinator, Elizabeth Kelly, on the publishing of her paper, “Proliferation of microalgae and enterococci in Lake Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and Loxahatchee watersheds.” This study analyzed relationships between microalgae (such as cyanobacteria) and the fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) enterococci. Microalgae blooms and high fecal indicator bacteria levels have been

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What We Accomplished in 2019!

Clean Water

What We Accomplished in 2019!

January 27, 2020

Our 2019 numbers are in, and they are certainly something to boast about! This last year was a year of growth for Miami Waterkeeper across all fronts of our organization. Without sharing too much, we want to showcase some of our greatest successes over the past year. Junior Ambassadors Community education and outreach work was

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Waterkeepers Florida Provides Final Comments to FDEP for Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards

Clean Water

Waterkeepers Florida Provides Final Comments to FDEP for Triennial Review of Water Quality Standards

December 2, 2019

Miami Waterkeeper, as part of Waterkeepers Florida, jointly provided final comments to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on the proposed revisions to Florida’s surface water quality standards. The proposed revisions included changes to the turbidity criterion, in all waters as well as in areas where coastal construction projects like dredging may affect corals

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Invest in Our Water Campaign Success for Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Budget

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Invest in Our Water Campaign Success for Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Budget

November 10, 2019

Miami, like many other cities, is increasingly burdened by aging sewage infrastructure. Sewage leaks, which threaten public and environmental health, are a chronic issue in Miami-Dade’s waterways. This past September, members of the Miami Waterkeeper team attended the 2019-2020 budget hearings. It advocated for increased Water and Sewer Department (WASD) funding under their campaign “Invest

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Triennial Review of Surface Water Quality Standards – Public Comment

Clean Water

Triennial Review of Surface Water Quality Standards – Public Comment

November 4, 2019

Once every three years, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) must conduct a comprehensive review of all water quality standards for the state. This review is called a Triennial Review— AND IT’S HAPPENING NOW!  Miami Waterkeeper is taking this opportunity to raise concerns about turbidity impacts on coral reefs — and we need you

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Accomplishing More In Partnership With Hydro Flask!

Clean Water

Accomplishing More In Partnership With Hydro Flask!

October 28, 2019

In November 2018, Hydro Flask, the award-winning leader in high performance, insulated stainless steel flasks, announced that Miami Waterkeeper was one of the recipients of its 2018 Parks for All Charitable Giving Program. With this support, we have been busy engaging community members in our educational programs and providing volunteer service events to keep South

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Oleta River Sewer Spill

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Oleta River Sewer Spill

October 7, 2019

This August, a kayaker reported water bubbling up under a bridge near Oleta River State Park. An inspection revealed a crack in a 50-year-old iron sewer pipe which was causing raw sewage to escape into the Oleta River. More than a million gallons of sewage spilled into the river where the pipe is buried in

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Flesh-Eating Bacteria: Staying Safe while Swimming

Clean Water

Flesh-Eating Bacteria: Staying Safe while Swimming

October 1, 2019

This summer was riddled with concern about emerging threats from flesh-eating bacteria in our coastal waters. Here’s what you need to know about the bacteria and how to stay safe while swimming!     Originally published at https://www.miamiwaterkeeper.org/flesh_eating_bacteria_staying_safe_while_swimming

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Waterkeepers Florida Submits Cyanobacteria Comment Letter

Clean Water

Waterkeepers Florida Submits Cyanobacteria Comment Letter

May 31, 2019

Almost everyone who has lived in, or even visited, Florida last year will remember the pictures, videos, or in-person sites of beaches and marinas covered in dead marine life. This event was often blamed on red tide. However, there is another culprit involved: cyanobacteria, which is commonly referred to as blue-green algae because of its

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2018 Beach Closures in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties

Clean Water

2018 Beach Closures in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties

March 27, 2019

The Florida Department of health monitors beaches throughout the state as part of the Florida Healthy Beaches Program for enterococci bacteria and then determines whether those beaches are safe for swimming or not.  Enterococci are bacteria that normally inhabit the intestinal track of humans and animals. The presence of this bacteria can be an indication

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Taking Action on World Water Monitoring Day

Clean Water

Taking Action on World Water Monitoring Day

January 29, 2019

Miami Waterkeeper is an exceptional organization that taught me how to become more involved in environmental advocacy in ways I never knew I could. During my time as a Miami Waterkeeper Junior Ambassador, Kelly Cox, the Program Director, introduced me to EarthEcho International, where I applied to be a Water Challenge Ambassador. Being part of

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