Our Story
In 1999, local residents formed a coalition to protect and preserve the Pomperaug River Watershed, a magnificent but limited resource. The watershed – contained mostly in the towns of Bethlehem, Woodbury, and Southbury – is an essential source of drinking water and endless scenic beauty and recreational opportunities to area residents.
The Coalition’s founders – Dr. Marc Taylor, Larry Pond, and Dick Leavenworth – saw that the watershed was beginning to be seriously threatened by land development and by possible diversions of water out of the watershed. They were concerned about the effects that land development would have on water quality and whether there was enough water available to support this and future development. With focus on the local water supply, they created a partnership of stakeholders protect this precious, irreplaceable resource.
Since its earliest days, PRWC has emphasized partnerships with the towns that comprise and are responsible for taking care of the Watershed: Woodbury, Southbury, Bethlehem, and parts of Watertown, Middlebury, Roxbury and Oxford. PRWC has worked closely with local businesses, environmental organizations and residents as well as regional, state and federal agencies and professional scientists to ensure the health and vibrancy of the Pomperaug Watershed.
Today, the Coalition is widely known as a model of scientific research and cooperative effort. The Coalition’s staff and volunteers work daily on water-related scientific research projects, policy-making initiatives, conservation and restoration projects, and community education programs – all of which are advised by good science and partner input.
Ultimately, PRWC is working on behalf of you and those you care about, to help ensure continued access to clean water. Communities need clean water to be vibrant, healthy and sustainable: PRWC is working to ensure this for all of the Pomperaug Watershed communities. We cannot do this critically important work without you.
