As Pittsburghers, we’re fortunate to have in our own backyards three mighty rivers. Aside from their natural beauty, recreational benefits, and ecological importance, one river in particular, the Allegheny, serves a much greater purpose: providing safe and clean drinking water to those in the region.
Water’s fundamental importance means that we at PWSA have a very tall order in protecting those waterways so they can serve generations to come.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act (CWA), this issue of Currents recognizes this groundbreaking law and highlights how PWSA remains in compliance to help keep our waters clean.
Throughout this issue, you’ll find articles that provide a brief history of the CWA, how it works, and how PWSA uses this important law to guide our work. Our Engineering Report provides a deeper dive into the components of our MS4 permit, which governs PWSA and the city in reducing pollutants from entering our separate storm sewer system. In our Employee Spotlight, you’ll learn more about our Environmental Compliance team, and our In the Community piece shows readers how we’re taking to the community to spread public awareness around the CWA.
On a final and related note, as part of our renewed focus on environmental compliance and ethics, last year we established a formal Environmental Compliance and Ethics Program. The program is multi-faceted and made up of various components, including a whistleblower system, annual training, and a robust set of policies and procedures, placing these important facets of our work front-of-mind.
If I had to impart one takeaway on our readers in honor of this anniversary, it would be this: by nature of our role as a public water utility, we’re proud to lead the way when it comes to keeping our waters clean. But that’s only part of the challenge, as all of us in our region have a unique role to play in protecting our waters and the environment. Only through sustained, collective action can we make improvements to help ensure our rivers can continue to provide to us the valuable resources they do today.
