Lindsay Hughes, a Bucks County native, works as the Community Relations Coordinator for North Penn Water Authority in Lansdale, Montgomery County.
She speaks to school and community groups about water conservation, watershed protection, and how the North Penn Water Authority delivers water to their customers.
After attending the Penn State Extension Dive Deeper Summit in 2018, Lindsay was inspired by urban rain gardens and the creative ways some cities are working to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution from entering nearby waterways.
She thought that planting a rain garden within the North Penn Water Authority’s service area was a great way to give back to the community, while also protecting source water.
Lindsay reached out to the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy to partner on the project and get their insight on rain gardens and protecting the watershed.
By working together, the North Penn Water Authority, Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, and Lansdale Borough were able to strengthen relationships with each other, and pool resources to complete the project in a timely manner while gaining more visibility about the importance of the project.
The community decided the location of the garden.
“We posted a poll on our Facebook page during Drinking Water Week back in May and asked our followers to pick one of two locations,” Lindsay says. “Lansdale Borough community members rallied to win the rain garden in their community at White’s Road Park.”
The rain garden will help Lansdale Borough reduce stormwater sediment into a nearby stream by collecting up to 1,200 pounds of sediment annually.
The project does more than just help conserve water. The creation of the garden will attract birds, butterflies, and wildlife that are also beneficial to a natural ecosystem.
I’ve learned that many of us take clean water for granted,” Lindsay says. “If each of us can make one small change in our daily lives when it comes to water conservation, all of those small changes can add up to a big difference in the amount of water we are saving and protecting on a daily basis. Only one percent of the water on earth is drinkable. We have to make sure we protect it.”
Know of a good natured Pennsylvanian who is passionate about outdoor recreation and/or conservation that we should feature? Contact DCNR by sending email to: ra-resource@pa.gov to nominate someone.
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(Reprinted from the Oct. 30 DCNR Resource newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)
[Posted: October 31, 2019] www.PaEnvironmentDigest.com
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