Treating and delivering safe and clean water to the tap is our first priority, but what would it look like to take care of the source of our drinking water before it reaches the intake?
Lake Hartwell is that source. Encompassing 56,000 surface acres with 962 miles of shoreline, Lake Hartwell recently became the 2nd most visited lake owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The pressures are immense and incredibly challenging when attempting to protect its water quality.
Since 2018, we’ve been monitoring the four creeks upstream of the plant via Adopt-a-Stream:
Hembree Creek
Hurricane Creek
Town Creek
Six and Twenty Creek
Adopting and monitoring these creeks has been incredibly beneficial, and has even led to discoveries of failing control measures that we were able to address. The sampling is also creating a database that tells the story of the watershed. Instead of looking at the giant body of lake to determine possible sources of contamination in the future, we can look at the data from the creeks supplying the water to give us a lot better understanding and starting point.
This hard work was recently validated through receiving the Lake Hartwell Champion for Citizen Science Award from the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce! A few of our staff members, along with the Chairman of our board, received the award on behalf of our 15-member agencies.
Protecting Lake Hartwell is too big for any individual or organization to do on their own. This is why we’re on a mission to create 200,000 source water protectors. Imagine the world we can leave to our children and grandchildren when we all embrace the responsibility of taking care of the natural environment granted to us.
One thought. One habit. One yard at a time. We’re just getting started.