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 The program supports innovative, community-based environmental
projects that improve, restore or protect the watersheds through
partnerships.
The company will award grants of up to $10,000. The program is
designed to support diverse types of activities, such as watershed
cleanups, reforestation efforts, biodiversity projects, streamside
buffer restoration projects, wellhead protection initiatives and
hazardous waste collection efforts.
"Illinois American Water is committed to protecting water supplies
through outreach and education. This program is another way to help
communities in this effort,” said Bruce Hauk, Illinois American
Water President.
To qualify, proposed projects must be located in an Illinois
American Water service area and:
- address a source water or watershed protection need in the
community
- be completed between May 1, 2015 and November 29, 2015.
- be a new or innovative program for the community, or serve
as a significant expansion to an existing program
- be carried out by a formal or informal partnership between
two or more organizations
- provide evidence of sustainability
In 2014, Illinois American Water issued grants totaling
$15,825 to the following organizations:
National Great Rivers Research and Education Center
received a $5,000 grant for the Expanding Stream Discovery: New
Watersheds and Increased Stewardship Project. The environmental
education project provided students a hands-on opportunity to
learn about water quality in their community by monitoring a
local stream
Lewis and Clark Community College received a $2,300
grant for the Stormwater Runoff Management Bioswale Project.
Through this project, faculty from Lewis and Clark Community
College engaged Alton Middle School students to install two
native planted bioswales at the college. The bioswales are
expected to improve water quality by providing filtering runoff
and reducing velocity.
Stratton Elementary School in Champaign received a $4,000
grant for a rain garden project. Stratton Elementary students,
faculty and parents helped construct a rain garden which will be
used as an outdoor learning center to strengthen learning about
and connection to the environment.
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Southern Illinois Groundwater Protection Committee
received a $1,625 grant for Mississippi River Clean-Ups.
Approximately 100 environmentalists cleared trash for disposal
or recycling along the shore of the Mississippi River.
The City of South Beloit received a $2,300 grant for the
Meet Me at the Confluence Invasive Species Removal Project. This
project helped to remove and control an invasive species and
weedy native species along a newly established preliminary
public access route at the confluence of the Rock River and
Turtle Creek.
Bluestem Communication in partnership with Mississippi
River Network and Piasa Palisades Sierra Club received a $600
grant to clean 16 miles of the Illinois Great River Road.
Grant information and application forms can be found online at
www.illinoisamwater.com. Applications must be postmarked by
March 13, 2015, and mailed to Karen Cotton at Illinois American
Water, 7500 North Harker Drive, Peoria, Illinois 61615 or
emailed to karen.cotton@amwater.com. E-mail is preferred.
About Illinois American Water
Illinois American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American
Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility
in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or
wastewater services to approximately 1.2 million people.
American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton
and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville.
Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded
U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in
Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 6,600 dedicated
professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other
related services to approximately 14 million people in more than
40 states, as well as parts of Canada.
More information can be found by visiting
www.amwater.com.
[Karen Cotton, Illinois American
Water] |
