Press Releases

North Penn Water Authority and Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Partner on Rain Garden Project

Lansdale, PA – April 30, 2019 – In honor of Drinking Water Week, which runs May 5 through May 11, 2019, North Penn Water Authority (NPWA) and the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy (PWC) are partnering on a project to protect the Perkiomen Creek Watershed and beautify the community. A Rain Garden will be planted in either Franconia Township or Lansdale Borough this fall. The community at large will determine the location. NPWA will post a polling contest on their Facebook page on Monday, May 6th at 8am through Friday, May 10th at 12 noon. The Municipality with the most votes will get a rain garden in the location of their choice.

A rain garden is a garden of native shrubs, perennials, and flowers planted in a small depression, where water tends to pool. It is designed to temporarily hold and collect rainwater runoff. It also filters pollutants out of rainwater runoff, much of which ends up in our waterways. As part of its commitment to environmental stewardship and watershed education, NPWA is committed to educating the public on the importance of watershed protection, source water protection and water conservation. Partnering with the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy for the Rain Garden project helps NPWA take that commitment to the next level by implementing a project that will act as a filter to rain water and storm water run-off.

“We are happy to be working with Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy on the Rain Garden Project,” said Anthony Bellitto Jr. P.E., Executive Director of NPWA. “We are in the business of providing our customers with clean, safe drinking water 24 hours a day and clean water begins at the source. By protecting source water, we are protecting drinking water.”

“North Penn Water Authority is taking the next step to ensure its residents have access to safe, clean and reliable drinking water. We are thrilled to be a part of that step,” said Ryan Beltz, Executive Director of the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy. “Nothing is more valuable than protecting the natural resources that sustain us.”

Franconia Township has identified a location at the Franconia Municipal Park as an ideal location for a Rain Garden. This location is prone to flooding and erosion into the Indian Creek. A rain garden will help prevent flooding, erosion of sediment into the Indian Creek and prevent mosquitos from breeding during wet times of year. The location will offer many benefits and is close to a walking path.

Lansdale Borough has identified Whites Road Park as an ideal location for a Rain Garden. By planting a Rain Garden in that location, it will collect rainwater that normally overflows into the Towamencin Creek, preventing pollution and erosion into the creek. A rain garden will offer many benefits to those who utilize the park.

A rain garden in either location will offer many benefits to those who utilize the areas, such as an increase in birds and butterflies, wildlife and will help foster healthier waterways.

To learn more, visit NPWA on Facebook, Facebook.com/NorthPennWater, or on the web at www.npwa.org.

What is Drinking Water Week?
For more than 40 years the American Water Works Association and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week – a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to join together in recognizing the vital role water plays in our daily lives. Water is our most valuable natural resource; and only tap water delivers public health protection, fire protection, support for our economy and the quality of life we enjoy

About North Penn Water Authority
Established in 1965, North Penn Water Authority (NPWA) is a municipally owned, nonprofit Authority with a dedicated, professional workforce committed to providing the community with a safe, reliable, and economical water supply.  Water supplied to their customers comes from both a surface water supply that is treated at the state of the art Forest Park Water Treatment Plant (FPWTP) and from 15 groundwater wells located throughout the service area. To provide the highest quality water, the Authority has in place a main replacement program and performs annual flushing of its 580 miles of water main which serves nearly 35,000 customers.  NPWA also owns and maintains all fire hydrants in the service area to ensure hydrants are in working order in case of fire emergencies. NPWA employees, many of whom are NPWA customers themselves, take pride in being able to provide this service to the community. For more information, please visit www.npwa.org or call 215-855-3617.

About Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy
The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy is dedicated to serving the people and communities of the Perkiomen Watershed by conserving and protecting land and water resources through commitment to and leadership in environmental education, watershed stewardship, and conservation programs. The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy was founded in 1964. Since then, the Conservancy has become the area’s community conservation connection. Last year, 3,000 volunteers donated over 9,000 service hours to environmental restoration and conservation projects; 7,500 students attended the Conservancy’s environmental education programs, and 2,800 residents attended the Conservancy’s programs and events. Our hope, at the Conservancy, is that we can be the catalyst that helps to create a positive and lasting change in the Perkiomen Valley.