"Clean water is a community issue," said Allyson Gibson, director of strategic partnerships and programs for Lancaster Clean Water Partners. "It affects public health with drinking water. It can affect real estate values, and it plays a big part in our entire quality of life."

Gibson's efforts to provide clean water just got a big boost. The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners presented a check for $3.4 million to the Lancaster County Conservation District and Lancaster Clean Water Partners to fund 11 clean water projects throughout the county. The funding represents the largest single investment in clean water in Lancaster County government history.

The check was presented at the Conewago Recreation Trail in Elizabethtown. The site was specifically chosen, Gibson said, to highlight the three-phase, multi-municipal Conewago Creek Floodplain Restoration Project. "There are many partners involved in the restoration project," Gibson noted. The Conewago Creek Floodplain Restoration Project includes the implementation of stream restoration, legacy sediment removal, floodplain reconnection and wetland creation that will lead to significant improvements to water quality, promote enhanced ecosystem resiliency and support Lancaster's pollutant reduction goals, she noted.

In addition to the Conewago Creek project, other projects that will be funded by the investment include waste minimization upgrades to several farms located near streams, several stream improvement projects, urban tree planting and the installation of eight continuous monitor units on streams around the county.

Gibson noted that the restoration project at the Conewago Creek runs parallel to the Conewago Recreation Trail, a popular spot for walking, running, biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. As the project progresses, people will be able to see firsthand the importance of clean water efforts, she noted. "Clean water access affects how people enjoy recreation," Gibson stated. "People want to feel safe when they go outside and when they enjoy parks and other recreation areas." She noted that clean water also has an economic impact on everyone. "If the water in our creeks and streams is really dirty, it's going to cost us more to treat it so we can drink it, swim in it or enjoy it," she said.

As the clean water projects get underway in the county, Gibson encourages everyone to do his or her part to promote the initiative. "Find out what watershed you live in, and learn what you can do to help," she stated, adding that a good place to start is http://www.lancasterwatersheds.org. "Plant a tree. Go explore a Lancaster Conservancy preserve. Learn how to work with your neighbors to make clean water accessible to everyone."