Bayou City Waterkeeper (BCWK), a water justice organization, has been working across the 10-county Lower Galveston Bay watershed since 2001. Using law and science, they engage local communities to build power, fill gaps in regulatory enforcement, and push back against water inequities and irresponsible development. Key program areas are Clean Water, Protecting Wetlands, and Just Climate Transitions. This Houston-based group confronts water pollution and flooding that disproportionately impact Black, Brown, and lower-wealth communities, particularly in Northeast Houston and other vulnerable neighborhoods where wastewater infrastructure is outdated and crumbling. Leveraging legal action through the Clean Water Act, BCWK holds polluters accountable while advocating for environmental justice. They work to safeguard the region’s 120,000 acres of critical wetlands – natural systems that provide essential flood protection, wildlife habitat, and water filtration for millions of residents.
Caption: Executive Director Ayanna Jolivet Mccloud testified at the Houston City Council on the need for pulling down federal funds to support sewage investment in Houston.
Operating at local, state, and federal levels, BCWK’s team of nine staff, supported by a board and policy outreach fellow, has secured significant victories, including a $2 billion federal consent decree requiring Houston to upgrade failing wastewater infrastructure. BCWK challenges unlawful wetland development and industrial pollution through litigation and regulatory engagement At the federal level, they’ve met with Texas congressional representatives to secure critical water infrastructure funding, while state advocacy focuses on advancing nature-based solutions for coastal resilience. Their “Turning the Tide” policy agenda and #JusticeInTheSewers campaign successfully established a $20 million Private Sewer Lateral Fund helping residents repair failing sewage systems. As founders of the Surge Forward coalition, they champion sustainable alternatives to the controversial $57 billion Ike Dike coastal barrier, advocating for wetland restoration and dune preservation rather than engineered structures alone.
