Clean Water Partnership Named Top Cross-Sector Partnership For The 2023 US Water Prize

Community-based partnership recognized as top cross-sector program due to expansive offering to support stormwater, and green infrastructure economy

The Clean Water Partnership (CWP), a 30-year community-based partnership (CBP) between Corvias Infrastructure Solutions (CIS) and Prince George’s County, MD, today announced it has been named as the Outstanding Cross-Sector Partnership for this year’s US Water Prize. Serving as US Water Alliance’s annual award competition, the US Water Prize celebrates outstanding achievements in the advancement of sustainable, integrated, and inclusive solutions to the nation's water challenges.

As part of the US Water Alliance’s annual event taking place on November 14-16, the CWP was awarded this year’s US Water Prize at the One Water Summit 2023 in Tucson, AZ. Joining hundreds of other top leaders at this national conference focused on sustainable, integrated and inclusive approaches on how to best manage water, this year’s award serves as the CWP’s first-ever US Water Prize, as part of the award’s 12-year history.

“The Clean Water Partnership continues to be a growing and rewarding partnership for the greater Prince George’s County community. Being recognized as Outstanding Cross-Sector Partnership for this year’s US Water Prize is testament to our ability to work proactively as a team with our partners in government and across the industry to address the region’s stormwater challenges,” said Sanjiv K. Sinha, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of CIS. “We thank the US Water Alliance for this national recognition and look forward to our continued collaboration with the CWP, as we expand the local stormwater and green economy through mentorship, new projects and education.”

The CWP is the nation’s first and largest Community-based public-private partnership (CBP3), a model designed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address the need for new and innovative solutions to finance and manage stormwater runoff, especially in urban areas. Established in 2015, it was formed to retrofit over 4,000 acres of impervious surfaces using green stormwater infrastructure (GIS). This has included one of the most robust community benefit agreements of any CBP3 in the country, where it was focused on supporting local and minority businesses, and built-in resident employment participation.

Since its creation, the CWP has exceeded its contractual goals with the county for stormwater improvements on school grounds, parks, municipal and private land and homeowner association properties. In total, these stormwater devices now treat more than 4,500 impervious acres and are maintained by the CWP for the next three decades. In addition, county residents perform 63 percent of the work and 79 percent of projects are completed by local, disadvantaged, minority-owned businesses.

This cross-sector partnership’s proven success includes 215 individual projects, resulting in high impact environmental, social, and economic regional benefits. These projects have helped to reduce 57,812 pounds of nitrogen, 8,167 pounds of phosphorus, and 5.6 million of suspended solids per year.

The CWP has also helped to grow local business capacity. This includes awarding more than $179M in subcontracts to local companies, and local residents have logged over 508,000 hours as part of the CWP.

Mentorship and Education
The CWP Mentor Protégé and Emerging Landscapers Program, now in its sixth year, focuses on mentoring and support to develop the local capacity of small businesses in stormwater management and green infrastructure projects. The program provides coaching, training, access to bid opportunities, capital, bonding, certification, and other supportive services. The Partnership has included 50 firms, and awarded over $35M in contracts.

Through its efforts to help cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards on school grounds, the CWP has also installed stormwater management practices at nearly 60 schools across PGC’s Public School network. CWP offers learning opportunities for students through interactive activities, such as engaging planting events and demonstrations with onsite volunteer representatives.

Through its Treating and Teaching Program, CWP partners with Anacostia Watershed Society to promote knowledge of the County’s waterways and support environmental literacy efforts for PGC’s Public Schools. CWP installed “outdoor classrooms” in roughly 10 schools. Students help design learning spaces and participate in planting and arranging the classrooms during installation, learning firsthand about how plants contribute to cleaner water within their watershed.

About Corvias Infrastructure Solutions
Corvias Infrastructure Solutions, LLC (CIS), is a national leader in the development and implementation of public infrastructure solutions, focusing on improving the environmental, economic, and social condition of the nation’s infrastructure through solutions that drive local economic inclusion and equity, reduction of public risk, and increased community investment and buy-in. CIS also offers related advisory expertise and services on topics including nature-based solutions, climate resilience, disaster prevention, environmental equity/justice, green stormwater infrastructure, environmental finance, water affordability, and public trust. For more information, visit www.cisolutions.com.

About The Clean Water Partnership
The Prince George’s County and Corvias Community-Based Public-Private Partnership (CBP3), also called the Clean Water Partnership (CWP), is an agreement between County government and the private sector to retrofit over 4,000 acres of impervious surfaces using green stormwater infrastructure. This community-focused program works to address the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay, while simultaneously focusing on the needs of Prince George’s County residents and local businesses. The CWP has received national recognition from the White House and EPA, as well as the National Resource Defense Council as a successful and innovative approach to better infrastructure.