On Thursday, Nov. 10, RiverLink staff and volunteers trained Asheville Green Opportunities members , to build a 100 square foot rain garden for a local family. RiverLink has partnered with GO, a training program that pays young people particular from public housing to learn new job skills, training them to assist residents across the region to implement stormwater Best Management Practices, such as rain gardens and rain barrels at the residential scale. The family is registered in RiverLink’s Water Reuse Infiltration and Conservation for the Home Program and certification.
Through hands-on workshops, site consultation, and online planning and construction manual, WaterRICH provides resources for homeowners who want to learn how to manage the water on their property in a sustainable way. The program is designed specifically to help residents understand how they can be good stewards of our natural resources- and save money. The goal? To increase infiltration of stormwater into the ground and recharge the water table, reduce the use of potable water, improve water quality in the French Broad River Watershed and reduce pressure on the existing stormwater system.
Once the program is established and metrics are collected RiverLink will seek incentives from local governments for reduced homeowner stormwater fees for certified WaterRICH homes.
RiverLink is currently seeking additional program participants — from homeowners in Buncombe, Madison or Haywood Counties — to become part of the WaterRICH program pilot project funded through a grant with the Pigeon River Fund. Homeowners who participate in the training and implement the the stormwater features and recommendation of WaterRICH residences may be certified as WaterRICH. Program participation can lower your summer water and sewer bill, increase property values and assist in preventing water issues in the home, and incrementally improve water quality of the French Broad River Watershed. And it can save you money.
For more information please contact Nancy Hodges at Nancy@RiverLink.org for more information.
Located in Asheville’s River Arts District, RiverLink is a regional organization spearheading the economic and environmental revitalization of the French Broad River watershed as a destination where everyone can work, live and play.
For more information about how you can get involved, see our Web site: www.riverlink.org, or contact us at information@riverlink.org or by phone at 252-8474.
Awesome. Thanks for reporting on this.