Thanks to the hard work of Friends of Casco Bays members, staff, and volunteers over the past 20 years, Casco Bay is cleaner and more protected.

20 years ago, there was no reliable data on the water quality of Casco Bay.

Today, Friends of Casco Bay’s water quality monitoring program gathers the only volunteer-generated data included in Maine’s biennial water quality report to Congress. It was among the first marine programs in the nation to earn EPA approval for its exacting standards of data collection by staff scientists and volunteer Citizen Stewards.

20 years ago, billions of gallons of combined raw sewage and rainwater runoff emptied into Casco Bay annually. The largest single source in Portland, at Fall Brook, swept an average of 140 million gallons of wastewater into Casco Bay every year.

Today, continuing pressure from Friends of Casco Bay is helping to speed up the removal of pipes that flush untreated sewage directly into Casco Bay. We helped persuade the Portland City Council to commit $61 million to removing Combined Sewer Overflows.

20 years ago, there was no low-cost, environmentally-sound alternative for recreational boaters to dispose of the contents of their sewage holding tanks.

Today, there are 21 pumpout facilities throughout Casco Bay, including our own pumpout boat, Baykeeper II, which has kept over 108,500 gallons of raw sewage out of Casco Bay.

20 years ago, the Presumpscot River was the single largest source of pollution to Casco Bay.

Today, wading birds, frogs, and sea-run fishes are returning to a river once starved for oxygen. Advocacy by the Casco BAYKEEPER^® and Presumpscot River environmental groups convinced the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to require the South Africa-based Sappi to upgrade pollution controls. Instead, Sappi closed the pulp mill, resulting in immediate improvements in air and water quality.  

20 years ago, cruise ships could legally dump their wastewater anywhere in Casco Bay.

Today, Casco Bay has the most stringent limits on ship discharges of any water body in the United States, thanks in large part to actions we instigated: a state law preventing large passenger vessels from dumping sink and galley water and the designation of Casco Bay as the first No Discharge Area (for sewage) in Maine by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

20 years ago, it’s Them. People blamed factories, municipalities, and waterfront businesses for water pollution. Indeed, point sources were the largest source of pollution in our waters.

Today, it’s All of us. Now, non-point source pollution and stormwater runoff are the largest sources of pollution into the Bay. Residents now recognize that they too have a role to play in maintaining a clean Casco Bay after our water testing detected toxic lawn chemicals flowing into Casco Bay from every coastal community. 

20 years ago, few people recognized that excess nitrogen, a nutrient needed by all living things, could pollute coastal waters.

Today, testing by Friends of Casco Bay has shown that nitrogen pollution is a serous concern here. Our data has helped persuade the State Legislature to limit nitrogen discharges before Maine bays suffer from “dead zones” like those that plague Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Become a Slime Watcher! Report any large mats of bright green algae you see on Maine tidal flats and rocky shores at slimewatchers@cascobay.org.

20 years ago, there were only a handful of water bodies where full-time environmental advocates fought to defend their bays and rivers from polluters.

Today, nearly 200 Waterkeepers around the globe work to resolve pollution problems that threaten their water bodies as members of WATERKEEPER^® ALLIANCE, founded by the seven original Waterkeepers, including Casco BAYKEEPER^® Joe Payne, and environmental attorney Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.