August 2022
On August 16, 2021, the Center for Water Quality Excellence opened its doors in Columbia, PA to support landowners, local governments, businesses, and organizations in navigating the world of funding opportunities in urban and agricultural stormwater management. The Center is a pilot program funded by the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority, or PENNVEST, operating in Lancaster and York counties. The goal was to accelerate the implementation of stormwater management practices in order to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution of our streams and rivers, by providing guidance on grants, loans, incentives, partnerships, and project strategies.
The Center has now been open for one year, and has received requests for assistance from over 70 customers and provided one-on-one technical assistance to over 20 of these. CWQE support has ranged from quick answers about funding programs to detailed development of funding and project strategies. CWQE staff have completed site visits to farms and residential communities to help find improvements that could be made to stormwater management and water quality, and have given presentations to municipalities about the benefits of developing Stormwater Authorities and Impact Fee/Credit Programs.
In the last year, the CWQE has also held multiple educational workshops at the storefront and taken their mission on the road to give presentations and provide vendor displays at several local events.
To learn more about what the CWQE has been up to over the past year, please visit our interactive story map: CWQE Story Map.
It has been our pleasure to work with so many diverse individuals and groups over the past year, and we look forward to helping more customers work towards solutions for their stormwater and water quality challenges. To request assistance, please call 855-227-1202, email support@cwqe.org, or visit our storefront at 430 Walnut Street, Suite 303, Columbia, PA 17512.
CWQE Staff Agent
Comments