Audubon International Joins National "Imagine a Day Without Water" Campaign

TROY, N.Y. - Sept. 15, 2016 - PRLog -- Today, Audubon International and its sponsors (https://www.auduboninternational.org/sponsors), partners (https://www.auduboninternational.org/collaborators), and member organizations (https://www.auduboninternational.org/certified-members) come together to Imagine a Day Without Water, a national campaign to educate the public about the water infrastructure crisis currently facing the United States.

Organized by the Value of Water Coalition, hundreds of elected officials, drinking water and wastewater providers, community leaders, business and labor groups, policy experts, advocacy organizations and infrastructure experts across the country will partake in events today aimed at raising awareness about the crucial need for investment and action to ensure that no community in America is left without water and the infrastructure that brings it to and from homes and businesses.

Recognizing that clean and abundant water is essential to securing a bright and prosperous future for generations to come, Audubon International celebrates its certified properties and communities, which ensure that water leaving their properties is healthy for people and wildlife. Audubon International members joining in the campaign include Compass Pointe, an Audubon Gold Certified Signature Sanctuary since 2011. This golf resort and retirement community in Leland, NC has developed a natural resources management plan to intercept and treat stormwater to avoid downstream water quality degradation.

Also participating in Imagine a Day Without Water are the Town and public water utilities of Hilton Head Island: Hilton Head Public Service District, Broad Creek PSD, and South Island PSD. The Town of Hilton Head Island in South Carolina is working towards its certification as an Audubon International Sustainable Community. The town has built an award-winning stormwater management and recreation project that exemplifies the many ways Audubon International members work to protect access to clean water for both humans and wildlife.

When land managers, including golf courses, are careful stewards of the water leaving their properties, water supplies are extended for all users. Environmental management programs (https://www.auduboninternational.org/programs) make water quality protection practical for land managers. The Whippoorwill Golf Club in Armonk, NY, a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary since 2009, has developed a stormwater management program, an Integrated Pest Management plan, and a sustainable fertilizer plan, all of which protect water that flows into the Kenisco Reservoir, a major source of water for 8 million people in New York City. Using storm water filters, continuous GPS monitoring, and riparian buffer strips, the ponds and watercourses are protected.  "The relationship between the Whippoorwill Club and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection is a testament of how private industry and public agencies can work together for the benefit of all," said Tara Donadio, Director of Cooperative Sanctuary Programs.

"We're thrilled that Audubon International is joining Imagine a Day Without Water. This national day of action is educating public officials and engaging citizens about the essential role water plays in our lives, and the threat that aging and underfunded water infrastructure poses to our communities and economy," said Radhika Fox, CEO of the US Water Alliance and Director of the Value of Water Coalition. "Because a day without water is nothing short of a crisis."

The problems our drinking water and wastewater systems face are multi-faceted. Each community faces distinct challenges and will require involvement by all water users and land managers to solve their biggest water problems. Drought, flooding, infrastructure failure, sewer overflows, poor water quality, and climate change are stressing our water and wastewater systems and native ecosystems. Imagine A Day Without Water tells the stories of everyday environmental stewards, and their innovative solutions to our nation's water challenges, so that no one ever has to experience another day without water.

Follow Audubon International on Facebook, Twitter (@AudubonIntl), and Instagram (auduboninternational), where stories of projects that protect water will be featured, and to participate in Imagine a Day without Water on September 15^th. You can learn more by visiting the website at www.auduboninternational.org.

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Audubon International is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) environmental education organization dedicated to providing people with the education and assistance they need to practice responsible management of land, water, wildlife, and other natural resources. To meet this mission, the organization provides training, services, and a set of award-winning environmental education and certification programs for individuals, organizations, properties, new developments, and entire communities.

The Value of Water Coalition is a group of thirty water and wastewater providers, water-reliant businesses and policy organizations dedicated to educating and inspiring the nation about how water is essential and in need of investment. The Value of Water Coalition is coordinated by the US Water Alliance, a national non-profit dedicated to securing a sustainable water future for all.