U S-T-O-R-M-W-A-T-E-R IS THERE? R O S by John Kanaskie
tormwater management has become a major focus in South Fayette Township. Why?
What’s so important about rain and snowmelt that so much time, money and effort are spent to make sure water flowing through a storm sewer is clean? The answer is … Y-O-U. You are what’s important. Stormwater impacts natural waterways, which in turn impact drinking water sources such as the Monongahela River, which is South Fayette's raw water source.
It is very easy to assume that every time you turn on the water to take a shower, do laundry or wash dishes that the water is going to be clean and safe.
refreshing your pet’s water dish or drinking a nice, cool glass of water are privileges taken for granted and made possible by clean waterways.
It's easy to think that once stormwater leaves your watershed it no longer affects you, but it does. It eventually makes its way to a source of drinking water, either for you or a neighbor. Everyone’s source of drinking water is downstream from someone else’s stormwater. The water company treats the river water before distributing it, but the more pollutants in the water source, the greater the cost to purify the water.
And everyone wants clean water for recreational activities such as swimming, boating and fishing.
We take clean stormwater seriously not only because we are required to, but also because we all want safe, clean water. That is a “why” everyone can agree with.
Something as simple as turning on the faucet to fill a pot with water for cooking,
Details: jkanaskie@sftwp.com or southfayettepa.com/water.
South Fayette Connect | Spring 2020 | 11
