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
Too Clean to Be Healthy: How Zebra Mussels Rewired Lake Erie
A short explainer video shows how billions of zebra mussels made Lake Erie twice as clear while starving its food web, fouling its beaches with algae, and opening a path for bird-killing botulism.
Monarch Data Center’s State Waters Permits Are Open for Comment Through October 26
WVDEP is taking comments through October 26 on two State Waters Permit applications for the Monarch campus near Point Pleasant, covering roughly 28 acres of wetlands and nearly three miles of streams.
Waste and Watersheds Night Leads the Final Three Eco Scouts Workshops in McKeesport
Eco Scouts, the Thursday night workshop series from the Pennsylvania Resources Council and Allegheny CleanWays, has three sessions left in McKeesport, including an October 29 night on how everyday waste reaches local rivers and drinking water.
Water Bills Jumped 62 Percent in a Decade, and Pennsylvania Is Among the Hardest Hit
A new Food and Water Watch report finds US household water bills rose 62 percent over the past decade, faster than inflation, groceries, and incomes, with Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania among the most expensive systems in the country.
Water Is Common Ground: A Playbook for Talking About It This Election Season
Water Hub’s new Water Communications Playbook makes the case that water is one of the few issues still crossing party lines, and offers advocates a plain-language guide to talking about safe, affordable water heading into the midterms.
A Free Briefing on What the Public Really Thinks About Data Centers
The Environmental Polling Consortium is hosting a free online poll briefing on data centers on Wednesday, October 14 at 3 p.m. ET, with the latest public opinion and practical messaging advice for advocates. It will be recorded.
No Bio Degree Required: A 72-Hour BioBlitz in the Westminster College Woods
Westminster College’s Harms Center for the Environment is hosting a BioBlitz in the College Woods from October 22 to 24. Identify as many species as you can, in a guided session or on your own. Everyone is welcome, no biology background needed.
A Big Splash of Thanks! 19 New Trees and Shrubs Planted at Waynesburg University
Walter Water Celebrates Local Efforts to Protect Our Streams and Improve Biodiversity Walter Water is tipping his hat to the 10-Mile Creek Watershed Association, Waynesburg…
USDA Puts $5 Million Toward Wetland Restoration, and Compost Counts
USDA has opened a 5 million dollar round of funding for wetland and floodplain restoration on farmland, and the conservation districts, watershed groups, and nonprofits in our network are exactly who can apply. Applications close November 19.
A Free Hour on Year-End Fundraising, Just in Time for Giving Season
Freshwater Future is hosting a free webinar on year-end fundraising, Tuesday, October 13 at noon ET, with practical tips to boost holiday-season giving. Good for first-timers and a refresher for pros.
WPC Canoe Access Grants of Up to $5,000 Are Open Through November 13
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Canoe Access Development Fund is taking applications through November 13, 2026, with grants up to $5,000 plus technical help for new and improved river access.
DEP Puts $2.8 Million in Section 319 Grants Into Eight Clean Water Projects
Pennsylvania DEP awarded $2,820,389 in federal Section 319 grants to eight projects, with abandoned mine drainage treatment taking a healthy share. Here is where it landed and what it signals for the next cycle.
