PROTECT OUR WATER JACKSON HOLE BENEFIT
Michele and Charles Goodman Residence
September 19, 2025
Phil Powers, Executive Director
Protect Our Water Jackson Hole (POWJH)
Water Connects Us All.
Let’s Protect It Together.
Protect Our Water Jackson Hole (POWJH) is dedicated to restoring and protecting the Snake River Headwaters watershed to ensure clean water is a reality today, and a promise for a healthy future.
Our Vision
Clean water now and for future generations.
Our Mission
To serve as a powerful advocate and catalyst for protecting and restoring the surface waters and groundwater in Teton County, Wyoming.
Our Values Focused
Science and Law-Based
Our work is based on sound science and legal principles.
Our only priority is to protect and restore water quality in Teton County.
Collaborative
We are effective and result-focused, knowing that we must all work together to ensure clean water.
Proactive
We stay up to date on current research and offer innovative solutions.
Advocacy
We fight for clean water.
Dear Friends,
Thank you for being here tonight. We’ve created this evening to share, to learn, and to imagine a future where clean water flows freely for our families, our neighbors, and the rivers we love.
We know the challenges: aging septic systems, polluted creeks, and growing pressure on our watershed. But we also know something else this community has never shied away from solving hard problems. From saving open spaces to protecting wildlife, we ’ ve shown time and again that when we act together, we succeed.
The three stations you’ll explore tonight highlight both the risks and the real solutions already at hand. They show that with clear plans, strong partnerships, and community commitment, we can protect and restore clean water in Teton County.
We are excited to share this work with you, and even more excited about what we can accomplish together.
With gratitude and hope,
Phil Powers, POWJH Executive Director
Septic Tanks in the Valley
Septics Are Challenged
Septic systems weren’t designed for Teton County’s porous soils, long, cold winters, and high groundwater. Plus, many of our 3,500 systems are beyond their lifespan and don’t effectively remove nutrients before they reach our groundwater.
Sewer Is Part of the Solution
Sewer systems that deliver household waste to state-of-the-art treatment facilities produce the highest standard of clean wastewater, protecting our precious water resources. Where connections are possible, converting septic to sewer is the best long-term answer.
Yes, There Will Always Be Septics
Certain homes will always rely on septic systems because of their regional isolation from sewer infrastructure. Proper septic system inspections, pumping, and maintenance can improve performance and reduce pollution. Stronger county rules and smarter management are already moving us in the right direction.
What You Can Do
Have your septic system inspected annually to determine if it is operating correctly, and have the solids pumped when indicated, generally every 3-5 years. (Within 2 years to establish a baseline if it’s a new system.)
The Vision If We Converted From Septic
Sewer is Part of the Solution
Sewer systems that deliver household waste to state-of-the-art treatment facilities optimize the removal of nutrients, bacteria, and contaminants before they reach our aquifer or streams. This results in cleaner wells, fewer algal blooms, and healthier fisheries.
The Vision is in Motion
The Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) already maps priority areas for septic to sewer conversion. The Munger Mountain line and North Highway 89 extensions are underway. POWJH is working to identify sewer extension areas and funding vehicles to support this new infrastructure. Together, these plans will begin to reduce the 3,500(+) septic systems in the valley.
Making It Possible
Sewer expansion requires coordination and investment. POWJH is working with the Town and County to develop a valley-wide wastewater plan. We’re advocating for financial assistance programs so families can afford to connect.
What You Can Do
If your property is near a sewer line, connect to it. It’s one of the most meaningful things you can do for water quality.
Fish Creek – A Critical Case Study
Pollution Pathways
Fish Creek receives pollution from both direct and diffuse sources. Irrigation ditches, storm drains, and tributaries channel contaminants directly into the creek, while septic systems, fertilizers, livestock, and pet waste seep into the groundwater across the watershed.
What the Data Tells Us
Fish Creek has been officially designated an impaired waterway by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). It has worrisome levels of E. coli and nutrients like nitrates. Multiple studies have identified septic systems, lawn fertilizer, and livestock and pet waste as the biggest contributors to Fish Creek's troubles. These impacts make Fish Creek unsafe for swimming and are affecting the creek ecosystem—algae growth is increasing, and trout numbers are decreasing.
A Creek Worth Fighting For
Fish Creek is both a warning and a model. It shows how outdated practices and unchecked growth degrade water quality and how science, policy, and local action can reverse the trend. Protecting Fish Creek means rethinking how we manage land use across the watershed.
What You Can Do
Limit fertilization, replace turf with native plants and maintain a minimum 5-foot streamside buffer of unmanicured shoreline vegetation, don’t overwater, keep livestock away from the creek, always pick up pet waste and dispose of it in the trash, and connect to sewer or upgrade your septic system.
