Become a Waterkeeper
Waterkeeper Alliance unites more than 350 Waterkeeper groups on the front lines of the planetary environmental crisis, patrolling and protecting more than 2.75 million square miles of rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways on six continents.
From Alaska to the Himalayas, the Great Lakes to Australia, the Waterkeeper movement defends the fundamental human right to drinkable, fishable, and swimmable waters, and combines firsthand knowledge of waterways with an unwavering commitment to the rights of local communities.
Waterkeeper Alliance ensures that the world’s Waterkeeper groups are as connected to each other as they are to their local waters, organizing the fight for clean water into a coordinated global movement.
Types of Waterkeeper Groups
Organizations
Waterkeeper Organizations are fully licensed, voting members of Waterkeeper Alliance, each representing a specific waterway. Waterkeeper Alliance offers a variety of training, organizing, communications, and advocacy benefits to strengthen their programs so that the local fight for clean water becomes a powerful, coordinated, global movement.
Affiliates
Waterkeeper Affiliates are non-voting, provisionally licensed Waterkeeper groups that represent a specific waterway. Affiliates can utilize Waterkeeper Alliance’s benefits to strengthen their programs and develop the capacity to become fully licensed, voting Waterkeeper Member Organizations.
How We Support Waterkeeper Groups
Recruit
Waterkeeper Alliance’s Recruiting Department is responsible for expanding membership so that the local fight for clean water becomes a powerful global...
Advocate
Waterkeeper Alliance's Advocacy Department is responsible for championing change and building coalitions to fight pollution and protect watersheds. Through three core...
Advocate
Waterkeeper Alliance's Advocacy Department is responsible for championing change and building coalitions to fight pollution and protect watersheds. Through three core campaigns, our Advocacy team organizes, educates, campaigns, and litigates to ensure all habitable watersheds on earth are drinkable, fishable and swimmable.
Train
The Training Department is responsible for setting up each Waterkeeper Organization and Waterkeeper Affiliate for success by providing the tools and resources...
Train
The Training Department is responsible for setting up each Waterkeeper Organization and Waterkeeper Affiliate for success by providing the tools and resources necessary to be the most effective clean water advocates on earth. The Training Department designs and executes a holistic curriculum geared toward Waterkeepers in different stages of development, and helps share information about effective practices so that local Waterkeeper organizations and Affiliates benefit from the experience and strength of the Alliance. The Training Department leans on the expertise of veteran Waterkeepers, staff, partners, and other experts to execute its work via virtual training, hands-on training, and mentoring. The result is a highly trained movement, armed with the necessary skills and knowledge to fight for clean water worldwide.
Organize
Waterkeeper Alliance’s Organizing Department is responsible for ensuring the needs of Waterkeeper groups are met, uniting them as a powerful global force and organizing...
Organize
Waterkeeper Alliance’s Organizing Department is responsible for ensuring the needs of Waterkeeper groups are met, uniting them as a powerful global force and organizing their collective action. Their role is to see the big picture and context of the organization’s work and coordinate that vision across the global movement.
Become a Waterkeeper
For more information on how to start a Waterkeeper group in your community, contact Recruiting Director Sharon Khan using this form.
Strengthening and growing Waterkeeper groups in the Amazon Basin
Through Project Osiris, Waterkeeper Alliance has prioritized the Amazon Basin as one of the world’s most iconic and endangered water bodies in critical need of protection. With an initial focus in Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador, we will recruit local and Indigenous-led groups to amplify their voices—and Indigenous knowledge—for the protection of the Amazon Basin and Rainforest.
Support the Fight for Clean Water
Donate today to support drinkable, fishable, swimmable water worldwide.
Waterkeeper Magazine
Reporting from the front lines of the planetary environmental crisis. These are the stories you won’t find anywhere else covered in such depth and uncompromising force.
Waterkeeper Alliance’s Recruiting Department is responsible for expanding membership so that the local fight for clean water becomes a powerful global movement. The Recruiting Department brings on new Waterkeepers and Affiliates–finding qualified potential recruits, guiding them through the proposal process, getting them licensed, and facilitating their hand-off for on-boarding and support from other departments.