The Presumpscot River that runs through Westbrook has done extremely well since people have become river conscious! Twenty years ago, the river was polluted, which caused a blight on the city of Westbrook. Then local businesses and the general citizenry cleaned up their act. As a result, the river became cleaner; the fish population has increased; and activities, such as canoeing, fishing, and picnicking, have increased as well. More people enjoy Riverbank Park today than 20 years ago.

There is still a lot we can do. On a walk through Riverbank Park recently, I looked into the river. Tires, cans, bags and even a shopping cart were submerged in the river water! I don’t find that acceptable. It kills the wildlife and pollutes the water.

There are a few things that you can do to help keep our river clean. Pick up your litter and clean up pet waste. There are also unseen pollutants more dangerous then the visible ones. Fertilizer, oil, and soapy water (from car washes) are a few. You can help prevent this unseen pollution.

Just that much counts!