Georgia Water Coalition accepting Clean 13 nominations

ALBANY — All across Georgia, businesses, industries, governments, nonprofit organizations and individuals are “greening” the state by protecting water resources and have the chance to be recognized with the upcoming Clean 13 report.

The Georgia Water Coalition said it will recognize 13 entities that have accomplished “extraordinary” work to protect, preserve and restore Georgia’s rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and coast.

The Clean 13, to be released later in the year, is a counterpoint to the GWC’s annual Dirty Dozen report, a list of 12 problems threatening the health of Georgia’s waterways.

“While the Dirty Dozen report highlights problems that need to get fixed, the Clean 13 will highlight projects that we hope others will emulate,” said Joe Cook, advocacy and communication coordinator with the Rome-based Coosa River Basin Initiative.

The GWC has published the Dirty Dozen every year since 2011. This will be the first Clean 13.

“We’re looking for programs or activities that have had a positive impact on our state’s water resources,” said Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers. “There’s so much that’s happening, and too often these good deeds go unnoticed.”

Examples include businesses using innovation to solve pressing environmental problems; governments going above minimum requirements to protect water or land; industries reducing water use, eliminating waste or implementing sustainability programs; nonprofit organizations leveraging citizen activism to create change in their communities, or individuals leading projects to solve a communitywide water pollution problem.

Projects chosen for the Clean 13 Report will be recognized in an event planned for early 2018, GWC said.

The GWC is a consortium of more than 200 organizations working to protect and care for Georgia’s surface water and groundwater resources. Collectively, the Coalition represents more than 250,000 Georgians.

Nominations are being accepted through March 31 at gawater.org/clean-13-nomination-form.