Philadelphia/Voorhees, N.J. — While one-half of the drinking water in the U.S. comes from rivers, more than one-third of its rivers and streams are considered “impaired.” The ground water sources that account for the other half of the U.S.’s drinking water are just as vulnerable, and many aquifers are affected by pollution even though the problems aren’t so readily seen. The good news is that all across the nation, more and more people are recognizing that their personal activities do impact water quality—and that they can actually improve the situation by taking simple actions and getting involved, whatever their age.

A group of fourth grade students from Philadelphia’s Roxborough section, for example, has replanted the streambank near their school to prevent erosion and filter pollutants that would otherwise wash into the Schuylkill River. The Schuylkill is a major source of drinking water for the city. In north-central Pennsylvania, a ninth grade student tackled one of the region’s most insidious water quality problems—acid mine drainage—because he realized that the polluted water from his local stream feeds into the Susquehanna River, and eventually into the Chesapeake Bay. Knowing that ordinary people are making a difference for their own local waterways provides hope and motivates others to act. One of the nation’s leading water resource companies has partnered with a Philadelphia-based non-profit to celebrate these “water heroes” and inspire others to follow their lead through a kid friendly web portal, the American Water Hydro School.

“In the 30 years since the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act became law, a tremendous amount has been done to protect our water resources,” says Kimberly Cooper, Director of External Communications at American Water from the company’s Voorhees, New Jersey Corporate Headquarters, “particularly on the industrial front. Today, the country’s most serious water quality problem is nonpoint source pollution, or run-off—and that’s where individuals come into play.”

Many people expect a constant supply of clean drinking water, but few of them recognize that their behavior can actually impact the process that makes water available with the turn of a tap. “We demand pollution-free waterways,” says Ms. Cooper, “but not many of us understand how our daily actions affect the local rivers and streams from which our drinking water is drawn. The American Water Hydro School was created to make these connections for our young people, and to educate and entertain the coming generation of water heroes. It’s a great place for children to share their stories and learn from others. Who knows, they might even get their parents involved.”

For more information, visit www.amwaterkids.org.