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
A Washington County Sportsmen’s Club Takes PennDOT and DEP to Court Over Ten Mile Creek
The Marianna Outdoorsmen Association is suing PennDOT and DEP in Commonwealth Court, alleging a 2016 road project damaged Ten Mile Creek in violation of the Clean Streams Law and was never remediated.
EPA Pulls the Guidance That Kept PFAS Out of Rivers Before the Intake
EPA has rescinded guidance that urged states to use Clean Water Act discharge permits to limit PFAS at the source, shifting the forever chemicals burden downstream to utilities and ratepayers.
Small Money, Real Organizing: WV Rivers Mini-Grants Are Due October 15
WV Rivers Coalition’s Community Action Mini-Grant Program supports local water advocacy projects across West Virginia. The next application deadline is October 15, 2026.
Up to $7,000 for Your Water Trail Project: PEC Mini-Grants Open Through November 4
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s 2026 PA Water Trails Mini-Grants are open. Nonprofits and municipalities can apply for $1,000 to $7,000 through November 4, with an applicant webinar October 5.
Eco Scouts: A Free Six-Week Sustainability Series Comes to McKeesport
A lot of watershed work starts long before a drop of water reaches the stream, in the everyday decisions people make about what they buy,…
Drink Your Watershed: Three Rivers Waterkeeper’s 5th Annual Fundraiser for Clean Water
Every creek in our network eventually becomes somebody else’s river. For the headwaters that drain toward Pittsburgh, that somebody is Three Rivers Waterkeeper, the group…
The New MS4 Permit and Your Watershed: Two Sessions to Catch on October 20
Beth Uhler on Pennsylvania’s new draft MS4 permit and Laura Blood on finding your watershed, at the free Mid Mon Stormwater Workshop in Uniontown on October 20.
Small Streams, Big Stakes: Clean Water Act Comments Due October 9
A new federal WOTUS proposal could drop Clean Water Act protection for most wetlands and seasonal streams. Comments are due October 9. Here’s how to weigh in.
Two Days of Riparian Buffer Training at Stroud This October
Riparian forest buffers are the workhorse of stream restoration, and few places teach them better than the people who study them for a living. Stroud…
Could Crushed Concrete Help Clean Up Mine Drainage? New Research Says Maybe
The mountains of crushed concrete left over when buildings and roads come down might have a second life in mine drainage treatment. New research published…
Ohio Towns Are Taking Out Their Dams, and the Mahoning Is Next
Across Ohio, cities are looking at the low head dams in their rivers and deciding they are more liability than legacy. Washington Court House is…
West Virginia’s Water Funding Outlook Just Got Tighter
The federal money that has propped up West Virginia’s water and sewer upgrades for the past four years is running out, and state officials told…
