Aqua Pennsylvania has received a 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award through the Montgomery Awards program for its Perkiomen Creek dam removals and creek restoration project.

The award recognizes Montgomery County projects that exemplify environmental stewardship and conservation for water and soil quality and was presented by the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, the Montgomery County Planning Commission, and the Montgomery County Conservation District at a ceremony at the John James Audubon Center on Nov. 16.

The company’s large-scale, $275,000 rehabilitation project in Upper Hanover Township involved removing two outdated weir dams from the stream channels of the Main Branch and West Branch of the Perkiomen Creek, and then returning to the areas to establish forested buffer zones and restore the stream channels.

“At Aqua, we are committed to protecting our water resources through conservation and environmental stewardship. We are humbled by this recognition and grateful to receive this award from Montgomery County and the Conservation District,” said Aqua Pennsylvania President Marc Lucca. “Our watershed restoration work is a critical part of our overall commitment to the communities we serve, enabling us to protect drinking water sources, improve aquatic habitats and support beloved local recreation spots for future generations.”

The Upper Perkiomen Valley Trout Unlimited chapter was a key partner in the restoration project, providing local stream knowledge and volunteers for a community planting day. With the dams removed, fish can now swim freely at the sites, enjoy cooler water and find better habitat for feeding and spawning.

This project was carried out as part of Aqua’s dams safety program, which seeks to improve and adapt existing dams to the company’s operations or remove those that no longer serve a purpose. In the last 15 years, Aqua has invested more than $2 million in critical watershed restoration work as part of its overarching environmental stewardship commitment.

Learn more about Aqua.