FreshWater Accountability Project

What FreshWater Accountability Project does

FreshWater Accountability Project (FWAP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization based in Grand Rapids, Ohio, founded in 2012 to protect freshwater resources from the impacts of unconventional oil and gas development (fracking) and related industrial activity. The organization primarily serves Ohio residents, particularly communities in southeast Ohio and the Ohio River Valley affected by fracking infrastructure, produced wastewater, and toxic waste disposal. Its work is led by Managing Director Lea Harper and a small staff of 1-10 employees.

FWAP's core offerings are not commercial products but advocacy and community science services: the Water Watchers water quality monitoring program, a low-cost air quality monitoring program using Air Viz and Purple Air sensors (developed in partnership with American Geophysical Union's Thriving Earth Exchange), expert reports such as the Downstream Strategies Muskingum Watershed water protections study, and ongoing engagement through public comments, regulatory testimony, and litigation (including Clean Water Act actions, USACE barge permit challenges, OSHA complaints, SEC complaints, and a Bowling Green Solar Penalty Mandamus Action). The organization coordinates a coalition of 30+ partner organizations including FracTracker Alliance, Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services, and Earthjustice.

FWAP operates on a donation-based revenue model, accepting contributions via PayPal and mail, with no commercial products, services, or pricing structure. The organization is funded by foundations and individual donors, and has not disclosed specific revenue, grant, or budget figures. Its go-to-market is purely mission-driven: building community participation, regulatory engagement, and litigation capacity rather than selling a product.

Name

FreshWater Accountability Project

Legal name

Fresh Water Accountability Project

Website

https://fwap.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FreshWater Accountability Project is a Grand Rapids, Ohio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2012, that advocates for freshwater protection against fracking and industrial pollution through community science monitoring, expert reports, regulatory advocacy, and litigation, serving Ohio residents—particularly in southeast Ohio—via a 30+ partner coalition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB), Environmental Public Health (Food Safety, Water Quality, Sanitation) (BPAIAJAE)

Keywords

• Freshwater protection advocacy
• Fracking impact monitoring
• Community science water quality
• Environmental nonprofit advocacy
• Frack waste accountability

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FreshWater Accountability Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental advocacy organization that protects freshwater resources in Ohio from unconventional oil and gas development (fracking) through community science water and air monitoring (Water Watchers and low-cost air sensor networks), expert reports on water protection, public records and regulatory comment work, and litigation/legal challenges against polluters and inadequate regulators. It sells no commercial products; its outputs are advocacy services, community science programs, and research reports funded by donations and grants.

Product overview

FreshWater Accountability Project is a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization that does not offer commercial products. Its primary offerings are community science programs and advocacy services, including the Water Watchers citizen water monitoring program, expert water protection reports commissioned from environmental firms, community air quality monitoring using low-cost sensors, and published research documenting fracking impacts on water resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Watchers Program A citizen science water monitoring program that enables community members in Ohio to report changes in water quality, participate in regular water sampling, and document contamination concerns related to industrial activities such as fracking.
• Expert Reports on Water Protection Commissioned expert reports analyzing water resource impacts (e.g., the Tappan Lake watershed report by Downstream Strategies) that provide recommendations for improved water protections against oil and gas development.
• Community Air Quality Monitoring Low-cost air quality monitoring using Air Viz and Purple Air sensors to measure Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) and particulate matter in areas affected by fracking and petrochemical infrastructure.
• Fracking Impact Research and Reports Published research and educational materials documenting the impacts of fracking on water resources, including surface and groundwater contamination, freshwater salinization syndrome, and toxic/radioactive frack waste handling issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,000 public comments submitted to the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commissioners opposing fracking expansion
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services: Fair Shake is a direct partner that provides legal advocacy on fracking issues, co-filing lawsuits with FWAP including Clean Water Act cases and federal permit challenges. Mission-aligned peer in environmental legal advocacy.
• Waterkeeper Alliance: Waterkeeper Alliance is a nonprofit focused on protecting waterways worldwide through grassroots advocacy and water quality monitoring. Highly comparable to FWAP's Water Watchers community science program and water protection mission.
• American Rivers: American Rivers is a national nonprofit dedicated to protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers, and conserving clean water. Comparable mission to FWAP's water protection work, with a national advocacy and policy footprint.
• Ohio Environmental Council: Ohio Environmental Council is a state-level environmental advocacy organization that works on similar issues to FWAP, including oil and gas oversight, water protection, and clean energy policy in Ohio. Comparable in structure and regional focus.
• Earthworks: Earthworks is a nonprofit focused on the impacts of oil, gas, and mineral extraction, with similar community science monitoring programs (e.g., optical gas imaging) and advocacy against fracking—directly comparable to FWAP's oil and gas accountability mission.
• FracTracker Alliance: FracTracker Alliance is a direct partner and peer of FWAP. Both organizations focus on documenting and exposing the impacts of oil and gas development on water resources, air quality, and communities, with overlapping data collection on freshwater sales and fracking impacts.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): NRDC is a major environmental advocacy organization working on water protection, fracking impacts, and clean energy issues—comparable to FWAP's mission but with a national and international scope and substantially larger resources.
• Earthjustice: Earthjustice is a major environmental law organization that has filed cases on behalf of FWAP regarding Mountaineer NGL Storage. A broader incumbent in environmental litigation with overlapping water and oil and gas case portfolios.
• Sierra Club: Sierra Club is a large national environmental organization with active Beyond Coal/Fracking campaigns and Ohio chapter presence. Comparable advocacy mission on fossil fuel and water protection but at significantly larger scale.

Emerging players

• River Network: River Network supports local river and watershed protection groups across the US. Mission-aligned with FWAP's focus on water resources and watershed protection, though operating more as a capacity-building umbrella than direct advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FreshWaterAccountabilityProject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FreshWater Accountability Project