Press Release: Watershed Management Group Making Sustainability Affordable for All Tucsonans
August 1, 2009
Contact: Lisa Shipek
Tel. (520) 396-3266
lisa@watershedmg.org
www.watershedmg.net
TUCSON, AZ – Watershed Management Group’s Co-op makes sustainability affordable by bringing homeowners together to assist each other as volunteers to develop water harvesting systems, greywater systems, and other sustainability systems on their properties. WMG is now offering $500 subsidies to low-income community members regularly throughout the year. Coming up in September, the Co-op will grant four $500 subsidies. Applications are available on WMG’s website: http://www.watershedmg.net/.
“The Co-op makes sustainability fun,” said Matthew Bertrand, WMG’s Co-op Coordinator, “The Co-op turns work into work parties, with friends and neighbors coming together to build rainwater harvesting systems that reduce water and electricity bills, beautify homes, and offer a major boost to the environment.”
The Co-op is just beginning its second year in operation. During its first year, 120 community members worked together to implement rainwater harvesting systems on 22 member households. Projects included earthworks, which contour the earth so as to maximize the amount of rainfall that soaks into the ground to support landscape plants, greywater systems, or water piped from washing machines, showers, or bathroom sinks out to the landscape, and cisterns, or large tanks that capture rainfall running off of roof surfaces.
“In June 2008, WMG hosted two cistern building workshops in our backyard,” said Co-op Member Richard Roati. “The cistern holds 1,000 gallons of rainwater when full, and it fills when our yard receives 1 inch of rain, and flows directly to our trees when it becomes full. Since we received 10 inches of rain this year, 10,000 gallons watered our trees this summer instead of flowing out to the street, into the sewers and out towards Phoenix. I am so excited by the cistern and earthworks that were built that I can hardly contain myself. My trees can't contain themselves either - they are growing like gangbusters, shading my yard and helping to cool my home in the summer.”
The mission of the Watershed Management Group, Inc, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is to improve rural and urban livelihoods by integrating community development and conservation. WMG provides local residents and community groups with the knowledge and skills necessary to sustainably manage their natural resources.