Innovating for a More Equitable and Sustainable Water Future
Welcome to the SWPA Water Network, a coalition of organizations working to improve water quality and access in the Upper Ohio River Basin. Our mission is to 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.
OUR LATEST NEWS
Watch Your Water: Join Us for Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week, July 26 to August 1
Some water problems announce themselves. Nitrate pollution is not one of them. You cannot see it, smell it, or taste it, but it is one…
Can You Swim in Pittsburgh’s Rivers? A Pitt Researcher Gives the Honest Answer
If you have ever stood at the Point and wondered whether jumping in would be a great idea or a terrible one, you are not…
Reading the Water: What Pennsylvania’s 2026 Integrated Report Means for Our Partners
Every two years, Pennsylvania is required to tell the EPA and the public how its waters are doing. That document is the Integrated Report, and…
What a Healthy River Is Worth: The Economic Case for Protecting Our Watersheds
A new EPA fact sheet puts hard numbers on what healthy watersheds are worth, from billions in avoided water treatment costs to flood protection, jobs, and home values. Protecting them is the bargain of the century.
Free Trees This Fall: Request Forms Are Open
The tree request form is live, and there is a volunteer guide to go with it. If you have been thinking about getting trees into…
Finding Funding in Tough Times: Takeaways from the Spring Confluence
It was a beautiful day in Beaver Falls to gather for the Spring Confluence, and we owe a big thank you to Geneva College for…
Free Trees for Riparian Buffers and Community Planting Through PA IPL’s Roots, Branches, and Hands
Have a riparian buffer project in mind, or just want to get more trees in the ground across your community? Here is a no-cost way…
Casselman River Watershed Association: A Summer of Access, Trout, and Clean Water
One of our coalition partners is having a busy 2026. From new river access work to a 15,000 trout nursery operation to a fresh look…
Add Your Organization to the Ohio River Restoration Program Act Letter of Support by June 10
Momentum is building behind the bipartisan Ohio River Restoration Program Act, and partner organizations across the basin have a chance to put their names behind…
Tribune Investigation Traces Great Lakes Plastic Pollution Through Western PA and the Ohio Valley
A new Chicago Tribune investigation published May 31 takes a hard look at how plastic pellets and microplastics are piling up across the Great Lakes,…
$50 Million for Farmer-Led Water Work: The EPA Farmer-to-Farmer Grant Is Open (Apply by June 19)
EPA just opened up to $50 million for farmer-led water quality and habitat work, with awards of $1.5M to $2.5M over five years. Applications are due June 19. Here is who can apply and how.
Help Shape Pennsylvania’s Climate Plan at the June 6 Pittsburgh Workshop
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is bringing its Climate Conversation series to Pittsburgh this week, and the agency wants to hear directly from…
