You can be the eyes, ears, and nose for your waterways, finding and stopping water pollution! Thoroughly document the details of any potential pollution you find, including:
- Exact location—get a street address and/or GPS location. A screen shot of a map with a pin on the location is ideal.
- Time and date of the incident.
- Detailed written description of what you see, hear, and smell.
- Photographs and/or video—include at least two close-up shots of the pollution and two wide location shots to help us find the exact spot when we visit the site.
Email all those materials to pollution@savethesound.org. Don’t delay—please submit the report as soon as possible.
If you see someone engaged in illegal dumping, call 911 and report the activity to the police.
What to Look For
Here are some examples of what common water pollution looks like.
 |  |  |
| Raw sewage flowing through a storm drain. | Waste stream materials found around a manhole after an overflow stops. | Any substance that changes the color of a waterway is a pollutant. |
 |  |  |
| Sewer manholes should not overflow during rain or at any other time. | Pipes draining into our waterways should not be flowing in dry weather. | Pump stations can also fail and overflow sewage into the environment, especially during rain events. |
When you email reports to us at pollution@savethesound.org, our team of investigators will confirm the report, share it with the appropriate authorities, and follow up until it’s stopped.
If you see someone engaged in illegal dumping, call 911 and report it to the police. Law enforcement should come immediately to stop the dumping and issue appropriate tickets or summons.