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IOWA AMERICAN WATER TO AWARD OVER $13,000 TO SEVEN LOCAL WATERSHED PROJECTS THROUGH ITS 2021 ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT PROGRAM

Since program began in Iowa over a decade ago, over $109,000 in grants has been awarded to projects that improve, restore, and protect local watersheds

DAVENPORT, IA (June 4, 2021) – Iowa American Water announced today that seven local watershed initiatives will be awarded funding through the company’s 2021 Environmental Grant Program. The recipients will share grant funds totaling $13,080 for community projects that improve, restore, or protect local watersheds.

“Our Environmental Grant Program is designed to help organizations carry out projects that benefit our waterways, raise awareness about the importance of water in our lives and promote community participation,” said Randy Moore, president of Iowa American Water. “We are pleased to support these worthwhile endeavors and extend our appreciation to the individuals and organizations that are making them happen.”

Grant applications were evaluated by a panel of judges based on criteria such as environmental need, innovation, community engagement and sustainability.

    The seven recipients of Iowa American Water’s 2021 Environmental Grant Program are:
  • Nahant Marsh Education Center will be awarded a $3,500 grant for its Carp Lake Restoration Project – Phase 1 -- Nahant Marsh will begin the first phase of removing a contaminated slag pile from Carp Lake. This pile will eventually be replaced by a wetland and opened to the public for education and recreation. The first phase of the project involves removing trees and shrubs that are growing on the pile and installing a silt fence along the lake to prevent further leaching during the restoration process.
  • Scott County Conservation Board will be awarded a $2,500 grant for its Augmented Reality Interpretive Watershed Educator Topo Box -- The topo box education tool will support watershed education in many ways, including: responsible water/land management, hydrology, native wildlife/habitats, and culture/history. The target population for this interactive display tool includes students ranging from elementary school through high school.
  • Partners for Scott County Watersheds will be awarded a $2,000 grant for its Pet Waste Disposal Stewardship Program – Partners for Scott County Watersheds is requesting funds for additional pet waste receptacles along recreational trails and sidewalks in Scott County with the goal of more citizens properly disposing of pet waste in the receptacles instead of leaving the waste to decay and possibly pollute local watersheds.
  • River Action, Inc. will be awarded a $2,000 grant for its First Floor Elevation Survey Program for the Quad Cities Flood Resiliency Alliance – River Action, Inc. will conduct first floor elevation surveys of properties in the 500-year flood zone in two communities within the Iowa American Water’s service territory. The elevation study will inform and educate property owners on flood risk, mitigation options, and flood risk management. Data from the study will feed into floodplain maps through Silver Jackets and may be used by property owners to take steps toward Letter of Map Amendment, if appropriate.
  • Keep Scott County Beautiful (Xstream Cleanup) will be awarded a $1,920 grant to upgrade its invasive species removal supplies for watershed cleanup events – The funding will be used by Xstream Cleanup to purchase supplies needed to increase the types of invasive species removed during volunteer cleanup events. This will enable volunteers to remove larger invasive plant species from our local watersheds.
  • City of Bettendorf Parks & Recreation will be awarded a $660 grant to help fund its Exploring Bettendorf’s Parks & Volunteer Cleanup Program -- The Bettendorf Natural Resources Committee will host two-hour-long workshops on Thursdays from June 24-Aug. 12 to educate citizens on the opportunities and environmental issues in each park. After viewing a presentation in the park, citizens will volunteer by recording water quality or removing trash and invasive species.
  • Davenport West High School INSPIRE Engineering will be awarded a $500 grant to help funds its Kenya Water Initiative -- The project’s goal is to provide clean water to multiple villages in Kenya by using a filter made from materials around them. The project is expected to stop the waterborne disease illnesses and save many lives in Kenya for those who do not have access to clean water.

Iowa American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water services to approximately 213,000 people. For more information, visit www.iowaamwater.com and follow Iowa American Water on Twitter and Facebook.


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Lisa Reisen

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lisa.reisen@amwater.com