Putting muscle behind our mission.

Water is more than a practice area for the employee-owners at Burns & McDonnell. It’s a vital resource that we’re passionate about protecting, inside and outside of the office.

Our continued support and participation in the Missouri River Cleanup is just one way we choose to show it.

Since 2001, Missouri River Relief has hosted organized cleanups of the Big Muddy — and has created greater awareness of its importance and history. With the help of more than 10,000 volunteers, the cleanups have removed nearly 480 tons of trash along the 517 miles of river.

And the impact grows. Communities and governments who are involved in its restoration have begun to own the river as part of their identity and look for opportunities to protect the winding stream. Burns & McDonnell is proud to be a long-time partner.

Last year, the Burns & McDonnell team joined 411 volunteers on the banks of Sugar Creek at La Benite Park in Sugar Creek, Mo., to clean 12.5 river miles. We boarded 19 boats and scoured the banks, picking up car bumpers, refrigerators, coolers, Styrofoam, tires, barrels, duck decoys, children’s toys, and PVC pipes, among other trash and debris. Together, we cleared 351 large bags of trash — an estimated 10 tons — from the Big Muddy.