Illinois American Water Announces 2015 Environmental Grant Program

Illinois American Water announced today that the application process is now open for its 2015 Environmental Grant Program.
The program supports innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect the watersheds through partnerships.

The company will award grants of up to $10,000. The program is designed to support diverse types of activities, such as watershed cleanups, reforestation
efforts, biodiversity projects, streamside buffer restoration projects, wellhead protection initiatives and hazardous waste collection efforts.


"Illinois American Water is committed to protecting water supplies through outreach and education. This program is another way to help communities in
this effort,” said Bruce Hauk, Illinois American Water President.

To qualify, proposed projects must be located in an Illinois American Water service area and:
·         address a source water or watershed protection need in the community
·         be completed between May 1, 2015 and November 29, 2015.
·         be a new or innovative program for the community, or serve as a significant expansion to an existing                  program
·         be carried out by a formal or informal partnership between two or more organizations
·         provide evidence of sustainability

In 2014, Illinois American Water issued eight grants totaling $15,825 to the following organizations:
National Great Rivers Research and Education Center received a $5,000 grant for the Expanding Stream Discovery: New Watersheds and Increased
Stewardship Project. The environmental education project provided students a hands-on opportunity to learn about water quality in their community by monitoring a local stream

Lewis and Clark Community College received a $2,300 grant for the Stormwater Runoff Management Bioswale Project. Through this project, faculty from Lewis and Clark
Community College engaged Alton Middle School students to install two native planted bioswales at the college.  The bioswales are expected to improve water quality by providing
filtering runoff and reducing velocity.

Stratton Elementary School in Champaign received a $4,000 grant for a rain garden project. Stratton Elementary students, faculty and parents helped construct a rain garden
which will be used as an outdoor learning center to strengthen learning about and connection to the environment.

Southern Illinois Groundwater Protection Committee received a $1,625 grant for Mississippi River Clean-Ups.  Approximately 100 environmentalists cleared trash for disposal
or recycling along the shore of the Mississippi River.

The City of South Beloit received a $2,300 grant for the Meet Me at the Confluence Invasive Species Removal Project. This project helped to remove and control an invasive species
and weedy native species along a newly established preliminary public access route at the confluence of the Rock River and Turtle Creek.

Bluestem Communication in partnership with Mississippi River Network and Piasa Palisades Sierra Club received a $600 grant to clean 16 miles of the Illinois Great River Road.

Grant information and application forms can be found online at www.illinoisamwater.com.  Applications must be postmarked by March 13, 2015, and mailed to Karen Cotton at
Illinois American Water, 7500 North Harker Drive, Peoria, Illinois 61615 or emailed to
karen.cotton@amwater.com. E-mail is preferred.

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