Neponset River Watershed Association

CONTACT:

490 Chapman Street, Suite One-B
Canton, MA 02021
781-575-0354
www.neponset.org

Ian Cooke, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Water purity is not a local issue, but watershed-wide — affected by many environmental factors, as well as extensive hydrological pathways throughout the watershed. The Neponset River Watershed system covers 117 sq. mi., serving nearly 400,000 residents in 14 diverse communities, and providing drinking water for 200,000 homes. NepWRA serves that constituency with a staff of 7 and a membership of 1,000 — that is philanthropy, the many served by the few! Founded in 1967 by citizens concerned about environmental impacts of extending I-95 into Boston, NepWRA is today one of Massachusetts’ leading watershed organizations; it led the pilot project demonstrating the MA Watershed Initiative, 1993-1997. In 1996 it created a 70-citizen volunteer water quality monitoring system which has led to $3 million of remediation projects — septic and sewer repairs, oil spill cleanups, and elimination of toxic industrial discharges. The EPA honored this program as a model for remedying bacterial pollution. In 1997 NepWRA showed that more water was leaving the river than entering it; so it created a Water BUDGETS initiative aimed at restoring the balance through many diverse citizen efforts. If you are a resident or neighbor of the Neponset Watershed, join NepWRA and help fund all the activities it is sponsoring for your health, safety, and welfare.

(2004: NATURE: Environment: Land, Air, Water, Climate)