Miami Waterkeeper (“MWK”) is a not-for-profit company with its administrative office located in Coral Gables, Florida, close to the City of Miami. Miami, together with several other locations on South Florida’s eastern coast along the Atlantic Ocean, is right in the thick of climate change and sea level rise. Recorded data already has indicated sea level has risen 6 inches since 1996 and has caused flooding events to increase by more than 400 percent. Rachel Silverstein, Miami’s “waterkeeper,” and her incredible team has become the watchdog and gatekeeper for clean water in Miami-Dade County and for “Biscayne Bay,” a precious jewel in Miami’s backyard. As you might expect from its name, each week MWK takes water samples at 27 locations in both Miami-Dade County and Broward County, and then analyzes the samples for water quality. Then MWK shares those results on its website, social media, and the Swim Guide app. I use the Swim Guide app each time I plan to go swimming in Biscayne Bay, and if the color indicator is red for that area (indicating a dangerous level of bacteria), I find somewhere else to swim or simply do not go into the water. MWK believes you should know about the quality of the water in which you swim.
MWK is anything but a one trick pony and does so much more than water testing. MWK monitors critical environmental issues and government proposals with potentially adverse consequences to the environment, and when necessary, acts. One huge success was challenging the nuclear power plant operating license extension to operate Turkey Point, our local nuclear facility located along Biscayne Bay, until 2052, which together with the 28 years it has already been operating, would have licensed the plant to run for 80 years. MWK Waterkeeper together with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Friends of the Earth, discovered that the application for the license extension failed to consider sea level rise, other environmental risks, and the science confirming that by 2040, the nuclear plant would likely be flooded daily by the surrounding waters. The team was successful in getting the license extension repealed, which was a gigantic accomplishment.
MWK – protecting us and another example of how people with a passion for the environment can make a huge difference on so many levels. JOIN US AND BE A HERO.
ALSO - checkout MWK’s 2022 Annual Report at:
https://publuu.com/flip-book/137463/349619/page/1
