Sharing a Vision of Safe and Clean Waters
Our Mission
The Headwaters to the Ohio Water Network connects diverse water stakeholders to develop and pursue a shared vision and attract increased resources for safe and clean water.
Welcome to the Headwaters to the Ohio Water Network (H2O), a coalition of organizations working to improve water quality and access in the Upper Ohio River Basin. We promote sustainable water management practices and ensure that everyone in the region has access to clean, safe, and affordable water. With a focus on collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and community engagement, we are working to address the key water-related challenges facing our region, from climate change and stormwater runoff to agricultural practices and public awareness. Join us in our efforts to protect and preserve our most vital natural resource - water.
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Our Latest News
Never Paddled Before? A Pittsburgh Sojourn on September 26 Is Built for You
Kayaks and Kamraderie brings first-time paddlers onto the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh on September 26, with lunch aboard a mobile programming barge. A perfect on-ramp for future watershed volunteers.
Up to $65,000 Per Project: DEP’s Environmental Education Grants Are Open Again
Pennsylvania DEP opened a new round of Environmental Education Grants in August 2026, with roughly $1 million available in three tiers. Watershed groups, schools, and conservation districts are all eligible.
The Upper Allegheny Needs 120 Volunteers for September’s River Roundup
The Allegheny River Cleanup Crew is recruiting about 40 volunteers a day for its September 17 to 19 River Roundup in Warren County. Last year nearly 200 volunteers pulled 5,700 pounds of scrap metal from the river.
Lend a Hand on the Three Rivers Water Trail October 6
Friends of the Riverfront hosts a volunteer care day October 6 on the Three Rivers Water Trail, the network of more than 34 public launches along the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio.
Two Inches in an Hour: September Opens With Flash Floods Across Eight Counties
September 3 storms flooded Route 51, stranded concertgoers at Star Lake, and put eight southwestern PA counties under flash flood warnings, weeks after the region’s wettest August since 1871.
Longwall Mining Is Coming for Four Gas Pipelines in Washington County. Comments Are Due October 5
DEP restarted public comment on MarkWest’s plan to daylight four gas pipelines ahead of longwall coal mining in West Finley Township, Washington County. Comments on the Chapter 105 permit are due October 5, 2026.
EPA Reopens the Fight Over Which Streams Get Federal Protection
EPA and the Army Corps reopened public comment September 4 on the definition of waters of the United States. Headwater streams across PA, WV, and OH are at stake, and the comment window is only 30 days.
A $13 Billion Power Plant Wants 30 Million Gallons a Day From the Mon
NextEra’s proposed 3.75 GW gas plant in rural Fayette County would draw an estimated 30 million gallons a day from the Monongahela River. We ran the numbers against actual river flow data, and looked past the headline figures on jobs and investment too.
The Public Has Turned on Data Centers, and It Crosses Party Lines
All year we have followed communities pushing back on data centers reaching for their water and power. New polling shows those communities are not outliers.…
Free Webinar: Meet the ‘River Livers’ Cleaning Pennsylvania’s Streams (Nov 16)
Some of the hardest workers in our rivers never move. Freshwater mussels, known locally as “river livers,” sit on the streambed and quietly filter the…
AI for Water: What It Actually Looks Like
We recently shared the big-picture policy questions around AI and water. Now here is the practical follow-up: what does AI in the water sector actually…
Remembering Franklin Kury: The Man Who Put Pure Water in Pennsylvania’s Constitution
In Pennsylvania, clean air and pure water are not just goals. They are constitutional rights. That is true because of one man, Franklin Kury, who…
