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St. Louis, Missouri

Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper

Based in St. Louis, where the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers meet, The Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper (MCW) is a dynamic, citizen-led force dedicated to safeguarding clean water for all Missourians. They monitor water quality, investigate pollution, collaborate on solutions, advocate for strict clean water laws, and take legal action against violators. Particularly crucial is fighting contamination from PFAS, the notorious “forever chemicals,” toxic even in minuscule amounts. In a major national PFAS sampling, 83% of tested waterways were contaminated, with Missouri’s Coldwater Creek among the highest. Working closely with local, state, and federal officials to combat this crisis, MCW advocates for legislation like the Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act 2.0 and pushes for increased water testing. As active members of the PFAS Stakeholder Workgroup organized by Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources, MCW is unwavering in its mission to uncover and tackle contamination to ensure a cleaner, safer environment for all.

“Water is essential to life. And clean water is vital for healthy people and communities.” — Rachel Bartels, Director of Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper

Aerial view of Ameren’s Sioux Power station at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers in the St. Louis region taken by MCW volunteer photographer Tom Peterson to assess how flooded infrastructure impacts the region’s clean water. Photos were made possible through a partnership with Waterkeeper Alliance and LightHawk, pairing volunteer pilots and conservation groups.

Part of the Waterkeeper Alliance, a global network of more than 340 independent clean water organizations across six continents, MCW  is a women-led nonprofit founded in 2017 dedicated to protecting clean water in their state, and beyond. They work on behalf of all, whether in the capital voicing opposition to rollbacks of the Clean Water Act, or on the river testing surface water, or in homes testing drinking water, or in the courtroom suing those who discharge nutrient-laden wastewater. MCW encourages residents to become citizen scientists in projects such as the Winter Salt Watch Team, where stream samples are tested for chloride that washes into creeks and streams; Swim Guide, an interactive site documenting where water is clean enough to swim and alerts to contamination; Rain Barrels for Our Rivers, where residents build barrels to mitigate stormwater runoff; and the PFAS Test Kits program in which citizens test their own drinking water, or favorite fishing and paddling spots. 

Contact
Rachel Bartels, Director & Waterkeeper
Climate impacts
Erosion-Subsidence, Flooding
Strategies
Nature-based solutions and green infrastructure (example: wetland restoration), risk mapping and/or monitoring, political activism, including protests, petitions, and lobbying, community organizing and education, legislation/policy reform, legal/permit challenges, art activism including murals, performances, photography, and videos
Environmental Justice Concerns
Lead contamination, hazardous/toxic sites, coal/coke plants and emissions, industrial agriculture/animal waste, PFAS/PFOS, sewage/sewage treatment, groundwater contamination
501c3 Tax Deductible
Yes
Accepting Donation
Yes