Water Quality

The West River Watershed Coalition: In February 2016, the West River Watershed Coalition applied for a microgrant of $700 from the Greater New Haven Green Fund to help with the printing of their brochure.

The West River Watershed Coalition is a group of towns, organizations and individuals who come together to protect and revitalize the West River, as well as its watershed and tributaries.

The brochure was designed by WRWC volunteers and has information about the West River Watershed, the towns and participants that make up the WRWC and the goals of the organization. The group wanted their informative brochure to be placed in public areas like libraries and distribute it to people at events like the Edgerton Park Green Festival, the West River Water Festival and walks along the West River to inform and gain support for their stewardship of the West River Watershed.

Brochure courtesy of the West River Watershed Coalition

Quinnipiac University: In 2011, Quinnipiac University's department of chemistry and physical sciences was awarded a grant of $2,130 by the Greater New Haven Green Fund to test for the presence of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate plasticizers in the Quinnipiac River. Sediment from eight different locations along the Quinnipiac River were sampled. The project took a year to complete. Our grant money was used to purchase supplies for sampling and analyzing the water samples.

Harry Pylypiw Jr., Ph.D and Jessica Frick, an undergraduate student at Quinnipiac University, conducted the research for this project. He collected and analyzed water from the Quinnipiac River to test for phthalate plasticizers. At the end of the project, Pylypiw concluded that four different polyaromatic hydrocarbon compounds, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and benzo(k)fluoranthene were found in the Quinnipiac River sediment but not in Quinnipiac River water.

The department of chemistry and physical sciences received two additional grants (2012 - $3,000 and 2013 - $3,000) to continue surveying for the presence of phthalate plasticizers in water and sediment from the Quinnipiac River flowing through Wallingford, North Haven, and the tidal marsh on its way into New Haven harbor. This project ended in March 2015.

The primary investigator on this project was Harry M. Pylypiw Jr., Ph.D, who collected water samples from predetermined locations along the Quinnipiac River. At the end of the project, Pylypiw concluded that diethylhydroxylamine (DEHA) was present in water samples from locations just below Community Lake, Toelles Road at the Cytec discharge point, at several points in Quinnipiac River State Park, and at sample collection points, in both North Haven and Hamden.

Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org

Quinnipiac River Watershed Association: In 2011 the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association was awarded a grant of $3,000 to educate employees of the Department of Public Works in implementing best practices to reduce pollution in the Quinnipiac River. The training occurred May of 2013 in Wallingford for DPW staff in Wallingford and North Haven. Feedback from North Haven and Wallingford DPW,Water Divisions and Town Planners who attended was very positive and proved to be beneficial for both the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association and the Department of Public Works The Quinnipiac River Watershed Association used the remaining funds to extend the training for New Haven’s DPW.

In 2017, the River Advocates of South Central Connecticut requested a micro-grant of $1,000 from the Greater New Haven Green Fund to support a Lunch and Learn program similar to the educational program offered by the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association that we funded in 2012.. The River Advocates of South Central Connecticut had determined both DPW and Parks Department staff shoulder stormwater responsibilities and wanted to train Hamden personnel as funds allowed.

This grant allowed municipal DPW and Parks workers to learn best practices to reduce stormwater pollution in Quinnipiac, Mill and West Rivers. Their populations benefit from municipal training on stormwater that includes best practices known to reduce water pollution.

Connecticut Fund for the Environment: In 2013, The Connecticut Fund for the Environment received a $10,000 grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund to help fund a project designed to reduce bacterial pollution in the West River. The main goal of the CFE’s project was to identify and implement the use of green infrastructure in the West River Watershed, an area heavily affected by combined sewer overflows during rain events.

This project used green infrastructure to manage stormwater by reducing runoff through rain gardens, permeable pavements and specially designed swales that return water back to the soil rather than into the city’s sewer system. CFE/Save the Sound identified two public sites for green infrastructure demonstration projects in the West River Watershed: a bioswale at the intersection of Yale Avenue and Edgewood Avenue and a rain garden adjacent to Edgewood Park.

The Greater New Haven Green Fund provided seed money to CFE for the further collaboration and financial support by the City of New Haven and the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority.
CFE also reached out to the Edgewood School to develop an outreach program involving the bioswale and ways to improve the use of green infrastructure around the school.

In 2017, the CFE received a grant for $8,000 from the Greater New Haven Green Fund to work with the students, staff and parents at Troup School, informing them of the problems and possible solutions to polluted stormwater runoff.

The goal of the CFE’s project was to engage hands-on community activities and gain support for the installation of green infrastructure across the New Haven area. With help from the City of New Haven Department of Engineering, and the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority, CFE was able to locate four spots to implement bioswale retrofits in the Dwight neighborhood.

This project was successful, and the community outreach program gained the interest of over 400 people throughout New Haven. In addition, that year, CFE coordinated with Troup School and created an educational stormwater runoff and bioswale planting workshop in which two fourth grade teachers and 50 students participated.

The Greater New Haven Green Fund was instrumental in helping CFE successfully establish the use of green infrastructure in the West River Watershed and continue to implement more green infrastructure in other locations.

Photos courtesy of the Connecticut Environmental Fund

Photo courtesy of New Haven Land Trust

New Haven Land Trust: In 2012, the Land Trust received a $10,000 grant from the GNHGF to make improvements to the Land Trust’s Long Wharf Nature Preserve. This project was completed in 2015. In addition to unveiling the new signs, the Land Trust was able to install a new footbridge over the tidal intermittent streams, improve trail maintenance and other construction and replace the old educational signs. In addition, the Land Trust worked to improve their public outreach efforts.

During summer 2016, the Land Trust received another grant from the GNHGFfor $9,000 which allowed them to host eight workshops at both Quinnipiac Meadows and the Long Wharf Nature Preserve, all open to the public.

With the grant money, the Land Trust also began exploring different ways they could use their oyster bed for educational and research purposes as well as moving forward with more land acquisition for preservation and education.

Photo courtesy Zofia Baumann and the New Haven Bioregional Group

The New Haven Bioregional Group:
In 2016, Zofia Baumann (University of Connecticut, Avery Point) and the New Haven Bioregional Group was awarded a micro-grant to fund a project which assessed mercury levels in fish caught in New Haven fishing spots, including the Quinnipiac, Mill, and West River and the harbor, all locations with high levels of sediment contamination and exposure to elevated levels of airborne mercury contamination from the sewage sludge incinerators on New Haven Harbor, both East Shore and West Haven. Many residents fish for subsistence and may be unknowingly eating too much mercury from fish caught from the shores of New Haven Harbor.

The $1,000 grant aided in the study of fish caught in New Haven and analysis of total Hg and MeHg, along with the purchase of beach seine, neoprene waders and septa needed for vials used for MeHg analysis. The Bioregional Group had a community educational event at Waucoma Yacht Club on the Quinnipiac River featuring Dr. Zofia Baumann from UCONN, Avery Point explaining mercury in the environment and fish. She also provided a handout showing the results and how to determine the proper amount of fish to eat for residents that was provided at the outreach event.
This citizen science project was made possible by the kind assistance of Dr. Baumann and UCONN Avery Point who were concurrently conducting a survey of mercury found in the shellfish and aquatic live along CT’s coastline.

New Haven Bioregional Group applied for a grant from the New Haven Green Fund in February 2018 to help cover the cost of hiring a professional videographer to film their community outreach program, which took place March 20 2018.

The New Haven Bioregional Group’s outreach program featured citizen and non-profit groups that work in the West River Watershed to manage stormwater runoff and reduce combined sewer overflows. The group wanted to highlight the work done by local citizens and groups that had not received attention from media but have been working hard to help educate homeowners and students about the importance of

implementing strategies at their homes and schools to help manage stormwater.
The group also planned to upload footage to social media pages to inform other members of the community about how to participate in stormwater management. Watch the video, "Bringing the Rain" on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ-NsoZvVi0

Photo courtesy of londonmiddlesexmastergardeners.com

Save the Sound: In 2019, Save the Sound worked to create the New Haven Edible Rain Garden Project, a project designed to incorporate edible rain gardens in New Haven, improving the city’s use of green infrastructure.

These rain gardens combine the benefits of both stormwater mitigation and a food-producing garden for wildlife. The rain gardens capture and filter any polluted storm water runoff, preventing it from contaminating nearby water bodies and
preventing the rain water from flooding
the combined sewer and stormwater underground pipes and causing raw sewage releases into our rivers and harbor when it rains. (Combined sewer overfows).

Save the Sound began this project in summer 2019 and by fall 2019, had installed two edible rain gardens. The Save the Sound Staff worked with volunteers from the New Haven area, Fair Haven Library staff members and Gather New Haven community gardeners.

The $5,000 grant Save the Sound received from the Greater New Haven Green Fund helped establish the first of many edible rain gardens in New Haven, and the organization has planned many more.

Photo courtesy of grassroots fund.org

Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice: After receiving a grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund in 2016 for $6,000, the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice was able to educate 500 New Haven residents on reducing river pollution during a project entitled “Be the Solution to Pollution.”

With the grant from the GNHGF, the “Be the Solution to Pollution '' team was able to hire five workers who received stipends for cleaning their assigned areas of the Quinnipiac River on a weekly basis. In addition, 15 New Haven residents were trained to make formal presentations and media campaigns about the negative effects of pollution.

“Don’t Pollute the Q. What Goes into it Goes into You” was the slogan for the media campaign. This message was posted all around New Haven, on sandwich boards, posters, T-shirts, etc.

The Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice was successful in promoting state department websites and planned to move forward with their own digital newspaper.

Photo courtesy of the River Advocates of South Central CT Facebook page

River Advocates of South Central Connecticut: The River Advocates of South Central CT were awarded a grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund in 2017 to hire three high school students to serve as River Guides from the neighborhoods of West River Watershed in New Haven. The grant helped fund these students’ training.

The River Guides helped with habitat plantings, distributing flyers around the community and assisting with public water festivals, as well as hosting river trips. These young River Guides helped foster a sense of connection to the natural world, encouraging neighborhood children and community members to take part in the preservation of their land.

In 2020, the River Advocates of South Central CT applied for a grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund for their project, “Impaired River Investigation.”

The project’s main goal is to protect the urban rivers of South Central CT including the watersheds of the lower Quinnipiac River, Mill River, West River and the New Haven Harbor. The River Advocates of South Central CT will study the water from these areas and replicate Harborwatch’s Norwalk River bacteria monitoring program. In addition, the program will hire water sampling interns and volunteers and train them.

Once the water from these areas are sampled and analyzed, they will be deemed safe or unsafe for recreational use by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for the State of CT.. If deemed unsafe, testing will be used to determine the source of the contamination over time.

Institute for Educational Innovation: In 2016, the Institute for Educational Innovation at Cold Spring School in Fair Haven CT received a grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund to begin a series of teacher training programs. Cold Spring School hosted three workshops, all focused on Grannis Island, an uninhabited island owned by the New Haven Land Trust, and the surrounding salt marsh.

The three workshops integrated the curricular areas of the STEAM program, and teachers were able to bring the activities practiced in the workshops to their own classrooms. 44 teachers participated in these workshops and developed activities of their own to share with their students, including a collaborative project between two schools in which students created an e-book about the sea life found in the salt marsh.

With the help of the Greater New Haven Green Fund’s $3,000 grant, the Institute for Educational Innovation was able to touch the lives of its community members, educating teachers about the importance of persevering the environment, who, in turn, passed on their knowledge to their students.

Photo courtesy of Lynne Bonnett

East Shore District Health Department: The East Shore District Health Department was founded in Branford 1974. Since then, ESDH has been providing public health services to over 70,000 people in the community. The organization applied for a grant from the Greater New Haven Green Fund in 2017 to assist in fundraising efforts and building the first fully electric, solar-powered, pump-out boat. We contributed $1,000 to their fundraising campaign and were one of the first organizations to do so.

For over 17 years, the ESDH has partnered with The Pump Out Boat Program, a program designed to keep the water safe by educating boaters and members of the community about the importance of clean water. The pump out boat can remove sewage from boats both at a dock or on the open water. Boaters are able to call to schedule a “pump out”. The pump out boat then takes the sewage to a pump house on the shore where it is pumped to a treatment facility. Removing sewage from our water helps keep our coastal communities clean and healthy.

ESDHD’s goal was to create a zero-emissions, solar powered pump-out boat. The previous pump-out boat program enacted by ESDHD kept about 20,000 gallons of waste out of Long Island sound each year. In order to protect the wildlife living in the Sound, the community must also protect the boating industry.