Illinois American Water announces 2018 Environmental Grant Recipients
Lincoln College receives funding for ADA compliant boardwalks along Sugar Creek

[April 27, 2018] 

Illinois American Water announced today that 10 watershed initiatives across the state will receive funding through the company’s 2018 Environmental Grant Program. The recipients will receive a share of grant funds totaling $22,750 for community projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds.

This announcement is being made in conjunction with Earth Week to remind consumers of the vital need to protect our precious resource every day for future generations. “At Illinois American Water, Earth Day is every day. Our team works hard to not only provide clean water for life, but for our communities to thrive,” said Bruce Hauk, president of Illinois American Water.

Illinois American Water is awarding the 2018 Environmental Grants as follows:

- Foundation for Ohio River Education will receive a $1,000 grant to fund the Ohio River Sweep. The funds will supply gloves and other materials to volunteers cleaning up the Ohio River.

- Bolingbrook Park District will receive a $4,000 grant for the DuPage River Ecological Improvements which focuses on removing invasive species from along the DuPage River and restoring the natural landscape. The project will reduce the occurrence of invasive species to less than 10% in the area. In addition, native planting will restore the natural landscape.

- Lincoln College will receive a $3,645 grant to increase watershed awareness, specifically stream-bank erosion along Sugar Creek. The funding will be used to install a boardwalk to make the area handicap accessible.

- Nature at the Confluence, Inc. in South Beloit will receive a $3,000 grant for the Kelly Creek Clean-Up. The project will engage community volunteers to clean up Kelly Creek, a major water asset on the Nature At The Confluence, Inc. property. Stream monitoring and water quality testing before and after the clean-up with measure results to educate about the impact of watershed clean ups.

- Pekin Park District will receive a $2,000 grant for the continued Lick Creek Watershed Invasive Species Control and Restoration project to eliminate invasive species along the Lick Creek corridor. Funds will be used to restore native plants to improve forest quality and help to control creek-side erosion.

- Peoria Park District will receive two grants for two different projects. A $730 grant will support the Heal the Hill Prairie at Forest Park Nature Center. Volunteers will remove invasive species and restore the bluffs, decreasing erosion and sedimentation of the river. An $875 grant will support the Illinois River Sweep. Funds will help supply gloves, trash bags, dumpsters and tire recycling.

- Peoria Playhouse Children’s Museum will receive a $2,000 grant for the Journey to Sea project. The project is a collaboration between the Peoria PlayHouse, Bradley University and The Sun Foundation. Together they will create a PlayHouse art exhibit to illustrate the devastating impact of plastic pollution on water.

- Senior Services Plus, Inc. in Godfrey will receive a $3,500 grant to construct a detention/infiltration bioswale and rain garden. This project is an extension of their initiative to grow their own food to feed local senior citizens.

- Woodridge School District #68 will receive a $2,000 grant for their permeable paver parking lot at Meadowview Elementary School. The project will decrease storm water runoff.

[Karen Cotton, Illinois American Water]