Naugatuck River Revival Group

from Waterbury City Guide

by waterburyobserver

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It’s beeen a busy few years for the Naugatuck River Revival Group (NRRG) as the watershed has been battered by sewage and oil spills. After millions of gallons of raw sewage was dumped into the Naugatuck River in 2017, it was the NRRG led by Kevin and Sondra Zak that became the voice of the Naugatuck River. The Zak’s hiked through the damage to document the enviromental disaster, and did so again in January 2018 when thousands of gallons of oil spilled into the river. Despite the environmental impact on the watershed, Kevin Zak was bolstered by the public outcry from the spills. “Thirty years ago no one would have cared,” Zak said, “now it’s statewide news. This is progress and I believe the river will heal itself.”

The mission of the NRRG is to increase awareness of one of the great environmental comeback stories in New England. For two centuries industrial giants used the Naugatuck River as a gloriﬁed toilet to wash away toxins, dyes and garbage. Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons have returned. The factories are gone, but they left behind chunks of iron, steel and brass in the river. Inconsiderate city residents continue to deposit tires, shopping carts and mattresses in the river. In response, the NRRG has declared war on trash in and along the river. NRRG has organized clean-ups with local schools, sponsored Annual River Day celebrations, and is committed to winning the war on trash. If you’d like to get involved cleaning the Naugatuck River please consider contacting the group. It doesn’t matter if it’s for a few hours, or a few days....your help is appreciated.