Southwest PA Water Network Sets Stakeholder Meetings For April 20, May 4 & 18 To Discuss Issues In The PA Ohio River Watershed

The Southwest PA Water Network has scheduled a series of virtual stakeholder engagement meetings for the Pennsylvania portion of the Ohio River Watershed Headwaters on April 20 and May 4 and 18.  They are being organized by the The Water Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

The goal of meetings is to create new or build upon existing relationships, to assess where the greatest energy is in terms of connected action around particular water issues, and to obtain broader input into the proposed shape and direction of this network.  

Whatever aspect of water interests you, you are welcome. 

The Center believes there appears to be strong consensus around the value and importance of expanding an eventual regional water network to include all of the Ohio River Watershed headwaters. 

More specifics about the webinars will be released in the near future.

Changes To Goals Based On Feedback

A big thanks to the many people who took the time to review the SW PA Water Network draft vision/purpose/goal document.  Over 250 people read the document, with 45 people submitting very thoughtful survey responses.  

This verbatim feedback can be found here.

The working group has spent some time reviewing all of the excellent feedback and have collectively created a response document that you can find here.  

Some direct edits to the vision/purpose/goals document have also been made, with the February 2021 version now found here.

WaterLoop Podcast

The most recent episode of the WaterLoop Podcast features a discussion of aging infrastructure, more extreme weather events and emerging pollutants such as PFAS are part of the water challenges.  Click Here to listen.

Visit the WaterLoop Podcast for a list of past episodes.

The Southwestern PA Water Network is being coordinated by The Water Center of the University of Pennsylvania.  Click Here to sign up for updates from the Center.  Questions should be directed to Alison De Luise by sending email to: adeluise@sas.upenn.edu  or Karl Russek russek@sas.upenn.edu. 

(Photo: 'The Mighty Youghiogheny' by Zach Frailey is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

(Reprinted from the February 2021 newsletter from The Water Center of the University of Pennsylvania.  Click Here to sign up for updates from the Center.)

Related Articles:

-- Creating A Collaborative Water Resource Network In Southwestern PA; Water Stakeholders GIS Map

-- New Ohio River Watershed Plan To Benefit Economy, Environment, Communities In 15-State Region

[Posted: February 22, 2021]  PA Environment Digest