Got Water Problems? Try These Strategies For Change.
A Community Organizing Toolkit For You
A Community Organizing Toolkit
For years in this newsletter, we’ve highlighted various communities throughout the country doing the hard work of fighting for clean water, and we also wanted to provide a guide that puts all the information in one place.
This toolkit is designed to help communities organize and advocate for clean water and environmental protection. Whether you’re facing contamination, pollution, or environmental health threats, this guide provides practical steps to build power, demand accountability, and protect your community.
Phase 1: Identifying the Problem
Recognize the Warning Signs
Water and environmental issues often announce themselves in ways that are hard to ignore. Your tap water might taste metallic or smell like chemicals. See this story: https://open.substack.com/pub/erinbrockovich/p/does-your-drinking-water-smell-like?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
You might notice an unusual color when you fill a glass. Sometimes the signs are more subtle, like a pattern of unexplained illnesses in your neighborhood, dead vegetation where plants used to thrive, fish kills in local waterways, or other noteworthy changes.
Industrial facilities or dumpsites near residential areas often signal potential problems, as do government notices about water quality or contamination that arrive in the mail with bureaucratic language that obscures the urgency of what’s happening. Many communities that live near landfills deal with terrible smells or discolored water.
Document Everything
The moment you suspect something is wrong, start keeping records. This isn’t paranoia; it’s preparation. Create a simple health survey for your neighborhood noting symptoms, diagnoses, and addresses. Take dated photos and videos of contamination, industrial facilities, and environmental damage. Build a timeline documenting when the problems started and how they’ve changed over time. Keep a communication log recording every contact with officials, companies, and agencies. These records can become a foundation for your case, the evidence that transforms individual concerns into undeniable patterns.
Understand Your Rights
You have the right to know what’s in your water under the Safe Drinking Water Act. You have the right to access public records and environmental data. You can participate in public meetings and comment periods. You can request testing and inspections.
Most importantly, you have the right to organize and advocate without retaliation. These privileges are not always granted by those in power; they’re legal protections that belong to you as a citizen.
Phase 2: Research & Investigation
Gather Environmental Data
The internet has democratized environmental investigation in ways that would have seemed impossible even a generation ago. The EPA’s Envirofacts Database lets you search for facilities, violations, and releases in your zip code. The Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database reveals contaminants detected in your local water system. The CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry helps you research health effects of specific chemicals. State environmental agency websites provide access to permits, violations, and inspection reports. Your local health department can share data on health trends and complaints.
All this information is public.
Request Official Testing
Contact your water utility for their Consumer Confidence Report, which they’re required to provide annually. Don’t stop there. Request additional testing for specific contaminants that concern you. Consider independent lab testing, though make sure to collect samples properly following EPA protocols. Official testing carries weight, but independent verification can reveal what official testing might miss or downplay.
Investigate Potential Sources
Look at what surrounds your community. Industrial facilities operate under permits that regulate what they can discharge. Landfills, dumps, and Superfund sites leach contaminants into soil and groundwater. Agricultural operations use pesticides and fertilizers that run off into waterways. Underground storage tanks corrode and leak. Wastewater treatment plants sometimes fail. You can listen to this podcast about two facilities that broke down in Baltimore, Maryland, causing the surrounding waterways to fill with sewage
Understanding the potential sources of contamination can help you decide where to direct your investigation.
File Public Records Requests
Public records requests are powerful tools that citizens often underutilize. Request inspection reports and violations from regulatory agencies. Ask for discharge permits and monitoring data from facilities. Obtain correspondence between agencies and polluters, which can reveal cozy relationships or regulatory capture. Pull complaint records from other residents to understand the scope of the problem. Get testing results and risk assessments that officials have compiled but may not have shared proactively. These documents often contain the smoking guns that prove wrongdoing or negligence.
You can learn more about making a FOIA request here.
Phase 3: Building Your Organization
Start With Your Network
Every movement begins with a conversation. Start with trusted neighbors, friends, and family who share your concerns. Host informal gatherings with coffee or snacks to discuss what people are experiencing and what you’ve discovered. Create a group chat or email list for coordination. Out of these early conversations, leaders will emerge. Some people are natural spokespeople. Others excel at research or organizing logistics. Pay attention to who steps up and what strengths they bring.
Establish Your Structure
As your group grows, you’ll need basic structure to function effectively.
A spokesperson handles media and represents the group publicly. An organizer coordinates meetings and mobilizes members for actions.
A researcher gathers data and tracks developments.
A secretary takes notes and maintains records so institutional memory doesn’t depend on any one person.
If you’re collecting any money for supplies or legal fees, a treasurer manages those funds transparently.
These roles can rotate and overlap, but having clear responsibilities prevents confusion and burnout.
Expand Your Base
Moving beyond your initial circle requires intentional outreach. Door-to-door conversations in affected areas let you hear people’s stories and invite them to join the effort. Community meetings at churches, schools, or community centers provide neutral ground where people feel comfortable speaking up. Social media groups and pages help you reach people who might not attend in-person meetings. Flyers and fact sheets distributed in affected neighborhoods raise awareness. Local news coverage amplifies your message beyond what you could reach directly. Partnerships with existing community organizations bring credibility and resources.
Build a Diverse Coalition
The strongest movements bring together people from all parts of the community. Residents directly affected provide the moral authority and personal stories that make the issue real. Medical professionals lend expertise on health impacts. Environmental experts help interpret technical data. Faith leaders bring moral framing and their congregations. Local business owners show that this isn’t just about one group. School officials and parent groups highlight impacts on children. Labor unions understand power and organizing. Environmental justice organizations offer experience and connections. This diversity makes your coalition harder to dismiss or divide.
Phase 4: Taking Action
Create Clear Demands
Vague complaints are easy to ignore. Specific demands intensify the ask. You might ask for immediate provision of clean drinking water while contamination is addressed.
You’ll want to consider:
Comprehensive testing for all contaminants of concern, not just what’s convenient
Public health assessment and medical monitoring for affected residents
Cleanup and remediation with a concrete timeline, not open-ended promises
Stronger regulations and enforcement to prevent future contamination
Accountability for responsible parties, whether that’s fines, criminal charges, or civil liability
Long-term monitoring and prevention measures so this doesn’t happen again
Pressure Campaign Tactics
Power responds to pressure, and pressure comes in many forms. Direct engagement means attending and speaking at city council and county meetings, requesting meetings with elected officials, meeting with water utility managers and regulators, and participating in public comment periods. Show up consistently and in numbers. Officials notice when meeting rooms fill with angry constituents.
Public pressure amplifies your voice beyond official channels. Organize rallies and demonstrations that attract media attention and show community support. Collect petition signatures demonstrating how many people care about this issue. Write letters to the editor that shape public opinion. Launch social media campaigns with hashtags that trend locally. Document and share personal stories that put human faces on the statistics.
Your media strategy can determine whether your issue stays local or breaks into broader awareness. Write press releases for local media announcing actions and developments. Pitch stories to journalists who can dedicate time to deep dives. Create compelling visuals like infographics and photos that communicate instantly. Prepare talking points for interviews so your message stays consistent. Use video testimonials from affected residents that are harder to ignore than written statements.
Legal and regulatory channels can help provide formal mechanisms for accountability. File complaints with the EPA and state agencies documenting violations. Request EPA oversight or federal investigation when state agencies are unresponsive. Consult with environmental attorneys about your options. The Clean Water Act includes provisions for citizen lawsuits, giving communities legal standing to enforce environmental laws when regulators won’t.
Learn more here.
Maintain Momentum
Environmental campaigns often take months or years. Holding regular community meetings keeps people engaged and informed. Celebrate small victories rather than waiting for a final resolution. Keep members informed of progress, even when that progress feels incremental. Rotate leadership responsibilities to prevent burnout among your core organizers. Practice self-care and mutual support, recognizing that sustainable organizing requires sustainable organizers. Don’t forget to bring food and drinks to meetings to keep everyone nourished and engaged. Plus, ordering pizza or bringing a homemade dish can make the hard work of organizing a little more fun.
Phase 5: Working with Experts and Allies
Find Technical Support
You don’t have to understand every technical detail yourself. Environmental justice nonprofits often provide technical assistance to communities. University environmental science departments may conduct studies or provide graduate students as resources. Public health schools and researchers can investigate health impacts. Legal aid societies and public interest law firms offer free or low-cost representation. National organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthjustice, and others have experience with similar battles and can provide strategic guidance.
Engage Medical Professionals
Health impacts provide some of the most powerful evidence of environmental harm. Request health assessments for affected residents from qualified professionals. Connect with toxicologists and environmental health specialists who can establish links between exposures and illnesses. Document health impacts thoroughly for legal and regulatory purposes. Medical validation transforms anecdotal reports into scientific evidence.
Secure Legal Support
Environmental law is complex, but legal support may be more accessible than you think. Environmental law clinics at law schools often take on community cases as learning opportunities for students under professional supervision. Public interest law organizations specialize in environmental justice cases. State bar association referral services can connect you with private attorneys. Many contamination cases are taken on contingency, meaning attorneys only get paid if you win, because the potential damages are substantial.
Phase 6: Communicating Effectively
Craft Your Message
Effective communication combines emotion and fact. Personal stories humanize the issue in ways that statistics alone cannot. A mother talking about her child’s asthma is more powerful than charts about particulate matter. Clear, specific facts and data provide the evidence that illustrate the stories. Visual evidence cuts through complexity and skepticism. Concrete solutions and demands give officials something to respond to. A sense of urgency without catastrophizing maintains credibility while conveying seriousness.
Frame for Different Audiences
Different audiences respond to different appeals. For media, lead with human impact. Journalists tell stories about people, not policy. Use clear, jargon-free language that their audiences can understand. Provide expert validation so they’re not just taking your word for it. Offer exclusive access to affected residents for compelling interviews.
For officials, emphasize legal obligations and liabilities. Reference regulatory standards and violations specifically. Demonstrate broad community support with petition signatures and meeting attendance. Highlight political consequences of inaction, not as threats but as realities about how voters respond to leaders who ignore them.
For the public, make it relatable and local. Explain how this could affect anyone, not just those immediately impacted. Create emotional connection through stories and images. Provide easy ways to help, whether that’s signing a petition, attending a meeting, or contacting their representatives.
Use Social Media Strategically
Social media can amplify your message exponentially, but it requires strategy. Create a unified hashtag that ties your content together and makes it discoverable. Share regular updates and action alerts so followers stay engaged. Post photos, videos, and infographics that stop people mid-scroll. Tag relevant officials and organizations to increase visibility and pressure. Build your following by engaging with supporters’ comments and shares. Social media isn’t a substitute for organizing, but it’s a force multiplier.
Phase 7: Protecting Your Group
Safety and Security
Environmental organizing can attract unwanted attention and even intimidation. Never confront polluters alone. Be aware of surveillance at demonstrations, particularly from security hired by companies you’re targeting. Document any harassment or intimidation immediately. Know your rights when dealing with law enforcement, who can show up at protests or respond to complaints from those you’re pressuring. Secure your digital communications, when necessary, particularly if you’re dealing with powerful corporate or political interests.
Legal Protections
The First Amendment protects your right to organize, protest, and petition government. Whistleblower protections exist for those who report environmental violations, though they vary by jurisdiction. Document any retaliation against members meticulously. Consult attorneys about potential legal risks before taking major actions. Understanding your legal protections helps you operate boldly but wisely.
Emotional Well-being
Fighting environmental injustice takes an emotional toll. You’re not just dealing with technical and political challenges; you’re confronting the reality that your health and your community have been sacrificed for someone else’s profit or convenience. Build in breaks and time for rest. Share the workload to prevent burnout. Celebrate progress and small wins often. Access mental health support if you need it. Remember that sustainable organizing requires sustainable organizers. You can’t help your community if you destroy yourself in the process.
Resources & Templates
Sample Documents
Health survey questions:
Name and address (optional for privacy)
Duration of residency
Health conditions and when they started
Household members affected
Concerns about environmental exposures
Meeting agenda template:
Welcome and introductions
Updates on ongoing efforts
New information or developments
Discussion and decision-making
Action items and volunteer assignments
Next meeting date
Press release template:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Date]
[HEADLINE: Community Demands Action on Water Contamination]
[City, State] - [Your organization name] representing [number] residents today [action taken] demanding [specific demand] following [problem description].
[Quote from community member with personal impact]
[Key facts and data about the problem]
[Quote from organizer with call to action]
[Background information]
For more information contact:
[Name, phone, email]
Key Contacts to Build
Local elected officials (mayor, council, supervisors)
State legislators
Congressional representatives
EPA regional office
State environmental agency
State health department
Local health department
Water utility management
Local media contacts
Environmental organizations
Legal resources
Final Thoughts
Environmental advocacy is about the fundamental right to clean air, water, and a healthy environment. Your community deserves to be heard, protected, and prioritized. Organizing is not easy, but when communities come together with persistence and strategy, they can win meaningful change.
Remember, you don’t need a fancy degree or title to make a difference. You need determination, solidarity, and a refusal to accept that any community is disposable.
stick-to-itiveness: a propensity to follow through in a determined manner; dogged persistence born of obligation and stubbornness. (It’s my favorite word for a reason!)
Stay strong. Stay organized. Stay together.
This toolkit is for educational purposes. For specific legal or medical advice, consult qualified professionals. For urgent health concerns or environmental emergencies, contact local emergency services and health departments immediately.
WOW
I can not say enough good about Erin Brockovich.
This process works.