Workshop Announcement

Sustaining Your Public Water Supply:

Tools of the Trade for Municipal Officials, Planners and Water Suppliers

June 19, 2013

Raystown Lake Visitor Center - Huntingdon County

Pennsylvania is changing.  Forward-thinking communities are using source water protection to ensure the sustainability of drinking water. Source water protection uses a science-based approach backed by PADEP that puts multiple barriers in place to help keep contaminants like polluted runoff from farm fields, energy extraction, stormwater, transportation spills and emerging contaminants from jeopardizing water supply sources and threatening public health. It works for both groundwater and surface water supplies.

This informative workshop brings top speakers who will share resources and techniques to help you safeguard a reliable supply of safe, affordable drinking water, and enjoy greater peace of mind.  Sponsored by PA DEP, the Water Resources Education Network (WREN Project), and the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute, the workshop was designed with multiple audiences in mind – municipal officials and managers, community planners, water authority members and water utility staff– because all play an important role in providing safe and sustainable drinking water to our communities.

Speakers:

• Stan Lembeck, Ph.D., AICP, Chairman PA Municipal Planning Educational Institute --land use and planning tools to sustain drinking water supplies
• Cathy Port, Geologic Specialist, PA DEP --highlights of the Source Water Protection Program available in Pennsylvania
• Beth Futrick, Agricultural Ombudsman, Blair County Conservation District --tools to reduce agricultural risks to drinking water
• Andrew McAllister, W. PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation -- tools to reduce acid mine drainage risks to drinking water
• Brian Eckert, Director, PA Department of Community & Economic Development --financial tools for water supplies and watershed protection
• Julie Kollar, Director, Water Resources Education Network -- Resources and techniques PA communities are using for drinking water protection 

It’s easy to  register online.  Just click on the link:  http://www.sourcewaterpa.org/?p=3046

The workshop will benefit new and experienced municipal officials, planners, water utilities, conservation groups and anyone interested in safe drinking water. 

Registration fee of $10 covers box lunch, workshop and materials. Checks may be mailed to:  League of Women Voters of PA-CEF, 226 Forster St, Harrisburg, PA  17102 or you may pay at the door.   We anticipate that the workshop will be approved for 2 Water Operator Conference Contact Hours by PADEP. 

To learn more about source water protection in Pennsylvania, view the video at http://www.sourcewaterpa.org/.

Clean drinking water is vital to communities.  Please Join Us!

For Questions, please contact:

Julie Kollar

Director

Water Resources Education Network (WREN) a project of the

League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund

267-468-0555 Email: juliekwren@verizon.net

Please visit the WREN websites: www.sourcewaterpa.org and http://wren.palwv.org

National Drinking Water Week

News for Immediate Release

May 6, 2013

DEP Celebrates National Drinking Water Week, Reminds Pennsylvanians to Make Every Drop Count

Harrisburg – The Department of Environment Protection is celebrating National Drinking Water Week from May 5 to 11 by encouraging all Pennsylvanians to learn how to better protect and conserve their water.

“This week, we renew our commitment to work with the state’s water quality partners and ensure drinking water meets all federal and state standards,” Acting DEP Secretary Chris Abruzzo said. “With 11 million Pennsylvanians using public water systems and two million using individual household wells, Gov. Corbett is committed to water protection efforts that are vital to ensuring the health of the public and Pennsylvania’s economy.”

National Drinking Water Week recognizes the importance of water source protection and conservation; the fragility of Pennsylvania’s water resources; and that cutting down on pollution and conserving water start at home.

To keep pollution out of water sources, consider these steps:

• Appropriately use, store and dispose of household substances safely, rather than pouring them down the drain;
• Test private well water annually for bacteria contamination;
• Inspect household wells annually; and
• Move possible contamination sources, such as kennels or livestock operations, waste systems or chemical storage areas a safe distance from nearby wellheads.

To conserve Pennsylvania’s water sources:

• Install low-flow plumbing fixtures, such as on showerheads and faucets;
• Check for household leaks and monitor your water bill for high usage;
• Take short showers instead of baths;
• Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth;
• Run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads; 
• Install a rain barrel outside the house to collect rainwater and reuse it in daily household chores, such as watering the lawn or washing the car; and
• Wash your pets outdoors in areas of the lawn that need water.

To learn more about what is in public drinking water, ask your water provider for a copy of your system’s water quality report, or Consumer Confidence Report. DEP also has an online Drinking Water Reporting System where the general public can find information about their systems.

This year marks the 39^th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, the main federal law that ensures the quality of drinking water in the United States.

For more information about drinking water and to search the online Drinking Water Reporting System, visit www.dep.state.pa.us and click the “Drinking Water Week” banner at the top of the homepage.

Media Contact: Lisa Kasianowitz, 717-787-1323

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National Groundwater Awareness Week

March 10-16, 2013 is National Groundwater Awareness Week.  This is a good opportunity to find out what you can do to protect the groundwater.  Visit the National Groundwater Association's website for more information.

PA Streamflow Estimation Tool

Daily baseline streamflows can now be estimated for any location along Pennsylvania's waterways using the USGS' Baseline Streamflow Estimator called BaSE.  More information can be obtained HERE.

2013 Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium - Registration Open

REGISTRATION OPEN!
2013 Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium
May 8, 2013
Penn State University, University Park, PA
Abstracts for Poster Presentations Accepted Until April  3, 2013
Learn more and register at: http://agsci.psu.edu/pa-water-symposium

In celebration of National Drinking Water Week, Penn State Extension and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection along with numerous other sponsors invite you to attend the 2013 Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium at Penn State University in University Park, PA. Registration is now open for this event at http://agsci.psu.edu/pa-water-symposium and is limited to the first 150 registrants. 

The Symposium theme: Emerging Issues in a Changing Landscape will provide a forum for researchers, students, professionals and educators working in the groundwater field to exchange information and promote protection of groundwater resources throughout the state.  Morning and afternoon keynote speakers will address important water issues in Pennsylvania including emerging contaminants and Marcellus Shale exploration.  

The symposium will also feature several concurrent sessions with contributed presentations on groundwater budgets, tools for describing groundwater during natural gas exploration, and broader studies characterizing groundwater and water wells.

A lengthy afternoon break and poster session will allow attendees to network while viewing numerous contributed poster presentations.  Abstracts for additional poster presentations will be accepted through April 3, 2013 on the registration website. 

A nominal registration fee of $30 for the symposium is made possible thanks to generous funding support from Penn State Extension, the Master Well Owner Network, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Mid-Atlantic Water Program, the Pennsylvania Ground Water Association and the Penn State Water Resources Research Center.  Additional partnering agencies include the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. 

Questions about the Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium can be directed to Bryan Swistock from Penn State Extension at 814-863-0194 or brs@psu.edu.

PA Water Survey

(from the Winter 2013 Master Well Owner Network Newsletter)

Take the PA Water Survey!

This is your chance to be heard on the value and importance of water resources in Pennsylvania! Researchers from Penn State along with several other partner agencies are conducting an online survey of Pennsylvania residents about the state’s water resources. The objective of this survey is to collect opinions from a large number of Pennsylvania residents on the current status of our water and how to prioritize funding and other resources to best protect and manage our water resources. This informal survey is intended as a public engagement project and does not necessarily represent a statistical sampling of opinions. The 5-minute survey can accessed at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PaWater  

The survey is open to Pennsylvania residents who are at least 18 years of age and will remain open until February 28. This survey is funded by the Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center and Sea Grant Pennsylvania in partnership with Penn State Extension and the Pennsylvania American Water Resources Association.

EPA Releases Low Impact Development "Barrier Busters" Fact Sheet Series

EPA has just released a fact sheet series on the benefits of Low Impact Development (LID) and addressing obstacles to wider adoption of LID. They are available at

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/green/bbfs.cfm

This seven-part series of fact sheets is primarily intended for state and local decision makers who are considering adoption of Low Impact Development (LID), but who have concerns with LID. These fact sheets explain the benefits of LID in clear terms and through examples. Specific fact sheets in this series directly address specific concerns that have been raised about adopting LID, thereby busting barriers.

· Benefits of LID: How LID Can Protect your Community's Resources (PDF) (2 pp, 1.3MB)
LID Fact Sheet #1: Challenges the perception that LID isn't worthwhile and provides general background information that outlines hydrologic and economic benefits provided by LID.
· Terminology of LID: Distinguishing LID from other Techniques that Address Community Growth Issues (PDF) (2 pp, 568K)
LID Fact Sheet #2: Addresses LID’s place in the jumble of terms for managing the environmental impacts of growth that coexist today and describes and distinguishes these terms.
· Costs of LID: LID Saves Money and Protects Your Community's Resources (PDF) ( 2 pp, 1.7MB)
LID Fact Sheet #3: Challenges the perception that LID is too expensive.
· Aesthetics of LID: LID Technologies Can Benefit Your Community's Visual Environment (PDF) (2 pp, 1.9MB)
LID Fact Sheet #4: Challenges the perception that LID is unattractive.
· Effectiveness of LID: Proven LID Technologies Can Work for Your Community (PDF) (2 pp, 1.7MB)
LID Fact Sheet #5: Challenges the perception that LID doesn't work.
· Maintenance of LID: Communities Are Easily Managing LID Practices (PDF) (2 pp, 1.7MB)
LID Fact Sheet #6: Challenges the perception that LID is too hard or costly to maintain.
· Encouraging LID: Incentives Can Encourage Adoption of LID Practices in your Community (PDF) (2 pp, 492K)
LID Fact Sheet #7: Highlights incentive strategies to catalyze LID.