Check out the NEW "Clean Water Ways" episode

Groton Municipal Television & Save the Sound Launch New Episode of Clean Water Ways Series -- Episode 4 "Flooding: The Unseen Risks" with cover the threats that flooding presents to water quality in Connecticut

Groton, CT and New Haven, CT—Groton Municipal Television will debut Episode 4 of its series, Clean Water Ways, online and on various cable systems available across Connecticut this winter. The show, produced in partnership with Save the Sound, focuses on promoting public awareness of healthy water quality practices and protecting Connecticut waters by reducing non-point source stormwater pollution.

Clean Water Ways Episode 4 focuses on the connection between climate change, flooding, and the unseen risk to water quality caused by stormwater runoff. This episode is the first of a two-part series examining the environmental challenges associated with flooding as well as potential solutions. Episode 5 is expected to be released in Spring 2025.

Episode 4 is hosted by Shannon Noonan and features interviews with Megan Granato, Sustainability and Resilience Manager for the Town of Groton, and Bill Lucey, Long Island Soundkeeper for Save the Sound, an environmental action organization whose work encompasses the Long Island Sound watershed.

Clean Water Ways Episode 4 premiered Tuesday, Jan. 14 on GMTV’s YouTube channel and on GMTV on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 6:30 p.m. GMTV is available on the following cable television and video service providers:

• XFINITY Channel 2 in Groton, Ledyard, Stonington, and North Stonington
• Voluntown Breezeline Channel 2 in Groton, Ledyard, and North Stonington
• Frontier Vantage TV Channel 6110 in Connecticut

Check local listings for dates and times.

Michelle Maitland, Project Management Specialist, Town of Groton Public Works: “There is lots of great science content online, but the short-form clips that are most popular don’t offer much depth, while articles can be too technical. We want to reach people not already involved in clean water work in a friendly, accessible way. So, we went with a format featuring Save the Sound and other expert guests chatting casually about important local issues with non-experts. The first episode was an ‘All Things Water’ introduction, with subsequent turns covering a range of regional efforts. Our aim is to help residents of all ages get a good grasp of Connecticut water pollution issues, prevention efforts, and how they play a part.”

Megan Granato, Sustainability & Resilience Manager, Town of Groton: “A major climate change impact already affecting Connecticut is the increase in large, intense storms. These dramatic precipitation events have more potential to cause flooding, damage property, and risk public safety. But an added problem is the harm to water quality. Increased stormwater runoff creates erosive flows, plus it picks up trash, debris, and pollutants which can degrade the streams and rivers it drains into. Not everyone thinks of pollution as a consequence of climate change, so I was glad for the opportunity to make that link clear.”

Bill Lucey, Long Island Soundkeeper, Save the Sound: “Stormwater is one of the toughest problems we deal with. All of us contribute to increasing runoff, from the buildings we live in to the roads we drive on. As climate change increases monsoon-like downpours and large storm frequency, localized flooding becomes a threat to life and property as runoff overwhelms stormwater infrastructure. Our lakes, rivers, and the Sound are fed a chronic load of contaminants from this runoff full of plastic, tire chemicals, sewage, and pesticides. The chronic washing of our pollutants into the Sound jeopardizes our health and the productivity of the waters we all enjoy, and that many make their living from. We have solutions but need the will of all of us and our institutions to rapidly change our attitude from constant development to moving out of floodplains, buffering streams, and removing contaminants at the source.”

Shannon Noonan, Planning Technician, Town of Groton, and Host, Clean Water Ways Ep. 4: “I was so glad to be invited to be a Clean Water Ways host due to the significance of the topics covered. As a community with many salt and freshwater resources, as well as increasing flooding concerns, I am excited to help share quality information, not just about problems but about what the public can do to advance solutions. I am proud our municipal body is taking strides to increase awareness, since education can help shift perspectives. I hope, in turn, that individuals are empowered to push for positive change. I was happy to have learned more myself in the process.”

Groton Municipal Television is the official government channel for Groton, CT, and is a service of the Groton Public Library.

Save the Sound leads environmental action across the Long Island Sound region to protect the Sound and its rivers, fight climate change, save endangered lands, and work with nature to restore ecosystems. More info at savethesound.org.