In 2004, the Massachusetts Bays Program hosted the State of the Bays symposium, bringing together coastal scientists, managers, and other experts to review the threats facing Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays. The experts agreed that stormwater pollution was the number one issue that needed to be tackled. This was the inspiration for the Massachusetts Bays Estuary Association (MBEA) to start looking at the stormwater pollution problem.

MBEA completed in-depth scientific and market research on stormwater pollution, laying the groundwork for the creation of Think Blue Massachusetts. Our research pointed to several opportunities for improved outreach and education, and identified the most damaging behaviors that people would be willing to change.

In April 2005, MBEA conducted a telephone survey among residents of fifty cities and towns bordering the Massachusetts Bays.  In general, we found that while concern for coastal water quality was high, public awareness of stormwater pollution was low.

...concern for coastal water quality was high...public awareness of stormwater pollution was low

Concern is high:
When describing their level of concern for different issues related to the environment and nature in their local area, respondents provided the highest level of concern for “coastal water quality” (92.3%).
More than three quarters of all respondents, 80.4%, reported to be either “very concerned” (44.3%) or “somewhat concerned” (36.1%) with “stormwater runoff”.

Awareness is low:
Over 61% of the people surveyed incorrectly believe that “Water that goes down storm drains is treated at water treatment plants before it is released in the nearest water body”.

The MBEA survey revealed that people are concerned about the health of coastal waters, but they don’t understand how they are connected to our rivers, beaches and bays through stormwater pollution. The challenge for Think Blue is clear: convince people to change behaviors that are harming water quality.