Clean Water: Delaware’s Clear Choice
What is the Clean Water Campaign?
The Clean Water Campaign is a statewide effort to secure funding to improve Delaware’s water – clean water is critical to our economy, environment, wildlife, food supply and public health.
The Center, along with the Delaware Nature Society and the University of Delaware’s Water Resources Center, is one of three steering committee members of the Alliance, which has launched a campaign to improve the quality of Delaware’s water by educating people about the importance of clean water and advocating for better policies on the local, state, and federal levels.
Dedicated funding for clean water is essential for a cleaner environment, healthier crops and food sources, and a healthy and growing economy. Additional clean water funding will be used for upgrades to wastewater treatment facilities and stormwater systems; environmentally sound solutions to remove contaminants from our water; and protection of wetlands and open space. Increased funding for statewide clean water initiatives ensures a better, stronger Delaware.
Find out how you can get involved at cleanwaterdelaware.org.
Why is the Clean Water Campaign needed?
Polluted waterways, tainted drinking water, and failing infrastructure can be found throughout the state of Delaware. In some cases, former industrial operations led to toxins entering waterways. In other cases, historical and current uses of agricultural fertilizers have impacted the groundwater sources that feed people’s drinking water wells.
In 2015, Delaware’s Clean Water and Flood Abatement Task Force released a report outlining the state’s water quality needs and shortfalls. It found that more than 90% of Delaware’s rivers, streams, bays, and ponds are polluted. This includes the Inland Bays watershed, where excess nutrients have significantly impacted water quality.
That means many waterways are not safe for swimming, drinking, or for eating the fish caught from them. At least 100 miles of waterways in Delaware have fish consumption advisories due to unsafe levels of PCBs, metals, and pesticides.
Currently, nutrient pollution that results in algal blooms and low oxygen is the biggest threat to Delaware’s Inland Bays. Financial support for clean water projects statewide could provide funding for projects to help mitigate this problem.
As more people move to Delaware, especially Sussex County, more land is being developed, meaning more impervious surfaces like roads and parking lots that can collect oil, grease, and litter than can then be carried to waterways with stormwater runoff. More development and more residents also means more pressure on existing infrastructure like wastewater treatment facilities. The Task Force found Delaware faces a $100 million annual shortfall to address issues like failing or outdated wastewater and drinking water treatment systems.
Important Updates
In 2021, the Clean Water for Delaware Act (House Bill 200) successfully passed and the $50 million now invested in the Clean Water Trust created by the new law will support:
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- A new Clean Water Initiative for Underserved Communities
- Upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure
- Investment in green solutions and enhancing natural systems
- Drainage, waterway management, and beach preservation
Legislator Contact Information
An important step in securing funding for clean water is ensuring that Delaware’s lawmakers know how important this issue is to voting residents like you. Call, email, or write to your lawmaker to encourage them to support clean water initiatives and funding. Below are maps of Delaware’s 151st General Assembly House and Senate districts, followed by a list of the corresponding elected officials and ways to get in touch with them. This information is current as of February 2021.
House of Representatives
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District 1 (Wilmington area) |
District 2 (Wilmington) |
District 3 (Wilmington) |
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District 4 (Wilmington area) |
District 5 (Christiana, Newark) |
District 6 (Brandywine Hundred, Bellafonte, southern Claymont) |
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District 7 (Brandywine Hundred, Claymont, Arden) |
District 8 (Middletown) |
District 9 (Middletown, Odessa, Port Penn, St. George’s, Townsend) |
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District 10 (Brandywine Valley, Claymont) |
District 11 (Hartly, Kenton) |
District 12 (Brandywine Valley, Hockessin) |
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District 13 (Elsmere area) |
District 14 (Dewey Beach, Henlopen Acres, Lewes, Rehoboth Beach) |
District 15 (Bear, Delaware City, Red Lion) |
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District 16 (New Castle, Southbridge, Wilmington) |
District 17 (Christiana, New Castle) |
District 18 (Bear, Christiana, Newark, New Castle) |
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District 19 (Christiana, DelCastle, Newport, Stanton) |
District 20 (Lewes, Harbeson, Milton) |
District 21 (Hockessin, Newark, Pike Creek) |
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District 22 (Yorklyn) |
District 23 (Newark) |
District 24 (Newark) |
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District 25 (Newark) |
District 26 (Bear, Glasgow, southeast of Newark) |
District 27 (Glasgow, Newark, Red Lion) |
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District 28 (Little Creek, Smyrna, Woodland Beach) |
District 29 (Cheswold, Clayton, Pearsons Corner) |
District 30 (Felton, Harrington) |
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District 31 (Dover) |
District 32 (Dover, Kitts Hummock, Little Creek, Magnolia) |
District 33 (Bowers Beach, Frederica, Little Heaven, Magnolia, Milford) |
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District 34 (Camden, Wyoming, Viola) |
District 35 (Bridgeville, Ellendale, Greenwood) |
District 36 (Broadkill Beach, Ellendale, Milford, Primehook, Slaughter Beach) |
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District 37 (Georgetown, Long Neck) |
District 38 (Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Ocean View, Selbyville, South Bethany) |
District 39 (Blades, Seaford) |
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District 40 (Delmar, Laurel) |
District 41 (Dagsboro, Frankford, Millsboro, Selbyville) |
Senate
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District 1 (Claymont, northern Wilmington) |
District 2 (Edgemoor, South Wilmington, Collins Park) |
District 3 (Wilmington) |
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District 4 (Alapocas, Hockessin, Montchanin, Talleyville) |
District 5 (Talleyville, Talleys Corner) |
District 6 (Dewey Beach, Henlopen Acres, Lewes, Milton, Rehoboth Beach) |
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District 7 (Elsmere, Newport) |
District 8 (Newark, North Star) |
District 9 (Christiana) |
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District 10 (Glasgow, Middletown, Mt. Pleasant) |
District 11 (Newark, Ogletown) |
District 12 (Delaware City, New Castle, St. George’s) |
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District 13 (Bear, Wilmington Manor) |
District 14 (Leipsic, Smyrna, Woodland Beach) |
District 15 (Felton, Hartly) |
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| District 16 (Bowers Beach, Camden-Wyoming, Frederica, Kitts Hummock) Sen. Colin R. J. Bonini Colin.Bonini@delaware.gov 302-744-4169 |
District 17 (Dover) |
District 18 (Ellendale, Greenwood, Harrington, Milford, Slaughter Beach) |
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District 19 (Bridgeville, Georgetown, Long Neck) |
District 20 (Bethany Beach, Dagsboro, Fenwick Island, Frankford, Millville, South Bethany) |
District 21 (Bethel, Blades, Delmar, Laurel, Seaford) |
Fact Sheets and Resources
CIB Comments to Clean Water Trust Oversight Committee on Clean Water Plan 020922 FINAL