Our Vision for the Future

Our vision for the future guides both what we do and how we do it. It is important to revisit our vision and mission to understand our direction over the next 4 years.

OUR VISION We envision a region with clean water accessible to all, healthy and resilient communities, and ecosystems restored to their natural functions. Our Vision for the Future

OUR MISSION We restore and protect our watershed ecosystem, while working regionally to support and implement resilient solutions for a healthy urban environment.

OUR STRATEGY

We implement green infrastructure projects throughout our shed while working to educate public officials, the general public, and young people.

We envision a future where the entire three rivers watershed is healthy. We envision communities that have access to safe, clean drinking water, are safe from flooding, basements backups, and landslides. We envision that these benefits are equitably distributed. We embrace a One Water approach, which holds that water should be managed sustainably and in an inclusive manner “to build strong economies, vibrant communities, and healthy environments,” (US Water Alliance). We also recognize that climate change is a threat to our communities on many levels and that ever larger and more intense rainstorms present a huge challenge to community resilience and clean water throughout the region. We strive to “get our shed done” so that the Nine Mile Run watershed is truly a model for how to achieve equity, water quality, and resilience in urban watersheds. In the lower shed, we are the stewards of a $7.7 million restoration of the Nine Mile Run stream by the US Army Corps, completed in 2006. This incredible resource serves as classroom, inspiration, and model of sustainable water stewardship. In our upper shed, we assist multiple upstream municipalities as they strive to implement sustainable stormwater solutions that serve the community and contribute to our One Water solutions. Our skillful demonstration of One Water solutions and sustainable stormwater management will give us a position of strength from which we can leverage regional advocacy.

We build capacity for the community to become stewards of and advocates for the shed. We advocate regionally for policies and funding for sustainable water management strategies that prioritize clean water for all in Southwestern Pennsylvania.