Lancaster Clean Water Partners Award $94,078 in 2026 to Support Local Projects

The Lancaster Clean Water Fund serves as a catalyst for increased collaboration to efficiently achieve clean and clear water in Lancaster County by 2040. It provides a unique opportunity to work with landowners, leaders, and communities across the county on education, restoration, and protection projects to improve water quality.

In 2026, 10 non-profit organizations and municipalities were awarded more than $94,000 for clean water projects! Below are the grantees and their project descriptions.

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

Partnership Growth Initiative for the Lancaster Water Week Cleanup

$10,000

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay will expand its Lancaster Water Week cleanup events to engage local businesses, private groups, and civic organizations with the goal of broadening community participation in support of clean water across Lancaster.

Borough of Marietta

Marietta Northwest River Trail / Gay Street Naturalization and Wayfaring Project

$1,536

Funding will help restore a barren railroad bed near the Gay Street crossing in Marietta with native plantings to reduce stormwater runoff and improve ecosystem health. New educational and wayfinding resources will inform trail visitors about the importance of native plants and guide them to local attractions.

Chester Water Authority

Ensuring Clean Water for Octoraro Watershed

$5,500

Funding will support a Coordinator for the Octoraro Source Water Collaborative, providing farmer outreach, event coordination, and restoration implementation as part of the partnership’s efforts to protect and enhance the upper Octoraro watershed.

City of Lancaster

Augmenting Community Engagement about Green Infrastructure in Lancaster City

$8,000

The City of Lancaster will expand its green infrastructure education by creating a new interactive display for community events, piloting QR code signage at rain gardens, and fully launching the Adopt-It! Program.

East Cocalico Township Authority

Source Water Protection Public Outreach and Education

$4,110

This project expands East Cocalico Township Authority’s existing groundwater education and outreach program by purchasing a groundwater flow model for school presentations and community events, along with take-home promotional materials.

Lancaster Science Factory

Eco Explorers

$6,500

The Lancaster Science Factory will work with School District of Lancaster elementary students to provide environmental sustainability and clean water education through visits to farms, streams, and neighborhood green infrastructure projects.

Let’s Go 1-2-3

Southeast Good Nature(d) Neighbors

$13,932

Let’s Go 1-2-3 will promote environmental stewardship among youth and residents in southeastern Lancaster near Hazel Jackson Middle School by engaging them through watershed walks, hands-on cleanup and planting efforts, and Love Your Block grant application support.

Lititz Run Watershed Association

Water & Environmental Education at Warwick School District

$18,500

Lititz Run Watershed Alliance will partner with Warwick School District to teach students about their local watershed through Warwick Watershed Day’s hands-on learning for 5th graders and broader environmental education across the district.

Little Conestoga Creek Foundation

Blue Green Connector Sensory Trail Walk Experience

$18,500

This project supports the creation of a Sensory Trail Walk Experience as part of the Little Conestoga Blue Green Connector—a 3.5-mile ADA-accessible trail along the restored Little Conestoga Creek when completed.

Stroud Water Research Center

Keeping Freshwater Fresh: Road Salt Monitoring With Lancaster County Communities

$7,500

Stroud Water Research Center will expand road salt monitoring in Lancaster County by training volunteers, educators, and partner organizations to collect and share water quality data and providing workshops, sampling materials, and communications kits.

With the majority of Lancaster County streams and much of our groundwater unhealthy, our community is a priority area for reducing nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment by 2026 in accordance with Lancaster’s Countywide Action Plan (CAP). The Lancaster Clean Water Fund provides a unique opportunity for grantees to work with landowners, leaders and communities across the county on education, restoration and protection projects to improve water quality. The fund supports the projects that address clean water priorities as well as the pollution reduction goals in Lancaster’s CAP.