Cedar Rapids Utilities Department Recognized with Clean Water Advocate Award

(Left to right) Mark Sanchez, NACWA President; Steve Hershner, City of Cedar Rapids Utilities Director; Ted Henifin, Chair, NACWA Awards Committee

The City of Cedar Rapids Utilities Department received the 2018 Clean Water Advocate award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) during a Utility Leadership Conference on Tuesday, July 24 in Boston.

This award honors outstanding advocacy work by agencies to further municipal clean water priorities. The Cedar Rapids Utilities Department earned recognition for advocacy relating to watershed and nutrient reduction issues, including contributions to the 2018 Farm Bill. The department has also provided important support for the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, including the pursuit of holistic watershed solutions to water quality and source water protection issues.

Since 2015, the City of Cedar Rapids has been a leading partner for the Middle Cedar Partnership Project (MCPP), a project focused on partnerships with local conservation entities, farmers and landowners. The Utility Department participates in cost share projects to install nutrient and soil management practices such as cover crops, wetlands, and buffer strips, which improve water quality, quantity, and soil health in the Cedar River Watershed.

Learn more about the Middle Cedar Partnership Project at www.CityofCR.com/MCPP