Clean water is essential for life. People, animals and plants all need water to survive— and not just any water but clean, healthy, safe water. Mountain Watershed Association is dedicated to protecting, preserving and restoring water quality so the people of our watershed and those downstream can have access to safe water.
We oftentimes focus on the obvious ways we need clean water. As mentioned before, we know water is essential for humans, plants and animals to live because it keeps us hydrated, is necessary for cooking our food, for bathing, and for many other activities of daily life. But for a moment, stop and think about how clean water affects your life. In our area, clean water is used for recreation, farming, sports, hunting, fishing and on and on. Many people’s livelihoods depend on water.
Pennsylvania’s second largest industry is tourism. In 2012, travelers spent about $1.8 billion in the Laurel Highlands with $315.4 million of that being spent on recreation—including kayaking, whitewater rafting, fishing, and swimming. The tourism industry is a huge economic driver in our region. This great economic power is due, in large part, to recreational opportunities taking place in our clean streams. Would people visit the Laurel Highlands to swim, paddle or fish in polluted water? Not likely. It is clear that good water quality is beneficial in many and varied ways. This storytelling blog series will focus on the not so obvious ways clean water is important to people throughout our region. Stay tuned!