Susquehanna River Basin Commission Awards $110,000 In Grants To Help 34 Water Supply Owners Monitor Groundwater Levels

On October 14, Executive Director Andrew Dehoff announced that the Susquehanna River Basin Commission has approved more than $110,000 in grants for groundwater level monitoring projects across the Susquehanna Basin. 

The funds will help 34 municipalities and businesses purchase and install equipment needed to track water levels in their production wells. 

They are the first recipients of this SRBC grant initiative.

Click Here for a list of grants awarded.

“With this funding, we are supporting our approved projects in meeting regulatory requirements designed to improve our understanding of local water resources,” said Mr. Dehoff.  “It is important that we invest in our water infrastructure and help ensure reliable water supplies for Basin residents.”

Grants may be used for projects that are not currently collecting water level data from their well(s) or for projects interested in upgrading equipment. The funds can help address equipment failure, achieve better accuracy, improve efficiency, or automate water level measurement and recording.

The average grant award was $3,545, with two projects receiving the maximum grant award of $7,500. Grant awardees include 26 public water suppliers, four golf courses, and four industrial facilities. 

Twenty-nine projects are located in Pennsylvania, and five projects are located in New York state. Projects involving Environmental Justice areas received $16,500.

Projects approved by the Commission to withdraw groundwater are required to monitor and report operational data. The data are beneficial to the project to provide support for a renewal request and for ongoing evaluation of an aquifer’s condition and performance of the well and pump.

Across the Susquehanna Basin, projects are sometimes challenged in making necessary improvements to their complex infrastructure, from recording operational data to water quality testing. 

Measurement of water levels or upgrading equipment in wells is a small but important part of a facility’s water monitoring program – one that may lose priority when financial resources are constrained. 

Data compiled as a result of this effort can accrue information about the sustainability of water resources for years to come.

For more information on programs, training opportunities and upcoming events, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for SRBC’s newsletter.   Follow SRBC on Twitter, visit them on YouTube.

Related Article:

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Accepting Nominations For 4 Annual Award Programs 

[Posted: October 14, 2021]  PA Environment Digest