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mailmanIs Your Water Worth Five Minutes?

Chances are good that if you're reading this, you get your drinking water from somewhere in the Cayuga Lake watershed.  Whether you do or not, you probably swim, boat, or fish in or otherwise enjoy its waters.

As plentiful as our water is, and as much as we take it for granted (think California), its care and management require our commitment and resources.  To that end, municipal, state and community leaders and volunteers urge your participation in a short survey that will help shape the future of the watershed.

With funding from the New York State Department of State through the Title 11 Environmental Protection Fund, the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization (IO) and Cayuga Lake Watershed Network (CLWN) are updating a comprehensive characterization of the watershed to include the current priorities of stakeholders, and to recognize emerging threats that were not on the radar when the document was originally published 15 years ago.  The resultant update to the Restoration and Protection Plan, as it is known, will help watershed municipalities link their important water-related projects to potential sources of state and federal funding.  Broad citizen and municipal participation in organizations like CLWN and the IO signals to potential funders a commitment to water quality and a willingness to confront challenging environmental and political issues.

There are 44 municipalities in the Cayuga Lake watershed covering 860 square miles over 7 counties.  Caring for our vast water resource requires grassroots engagement and widespread cooperation.  You should be involved.

Rich DePaolo
Town of Ithaca
IO board Member

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