LCC Secures Grant for Water Conservation Program

LCC has been awarded a pollution prevention grant in the most recent round of competitive funding from the Lake Champlain Basin Program. LCC will conduct a water conservation education and outreach program working with
multiple partners and in multiple venues to improve water quality in Lake
Champlain. Preventing excess water use reduces treatment costs at waste water treatment facilities, increases treatment efficiency, and saves energy. “Water usage is a significant cost for many businesses yet water conservation is often overlooked in the northeast because water is so abundant” notes Tom Torti, President of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is one of LCC’s water conservation project partners. “LCC’s water conservation program will help businesses understand the link between water
conservation and water quality and provide them with useful, cost- effective steps they can take to both save water and save money.” Water conservation can also reduce imports of phosphorus into the Lake Champlain Basin. Zinc orthophosphate is added to drinking water at intakes to prevent lead from leaching from old pipes. Water wasted in leaks and excess use still has to be treated necessitating additional inputs of zinc orthosphosphate.