Chesco Unveils New 2045 Roadmap To Preserve Water

CHESTER COUNTY —With the hope of preserving Chester County waterways to meet the needs of the residents, Chester County planners updated the county's plan to protect watersheds for future generations.

Chester County Commissioners are holding a public hearing at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 24 on the county’s revised 2045 Watershed plan.

A watershed is an area that catches water and moves it to drains, creeks, and common water bodies. Chester County has 2,300 stream miles, 70 percent of streams drain into sources of drinking water.

The hearing is in the Chester County Commissioners board room at 313 West Market St., 6th floor, West Chester.

The watersheds plan provides a plan to evaluate and manage water to meet the needs of the community.

The original Watersheds plan, released in 2002, guided two decades of work to protect and enhance streams, lakes, and groundwater.

The newly revised plan will address stormwater management and river conservation, and safe sustainable water supply and wastewater disposal.

Since the watershed plan was implemented in 2002, the population of Chester County increased 21 percent to 526,759 in 2920. The population is projected to increase to 662,283 by 2045.

Kate Hutelmyer, water resource planner, the county planners envision water resources that provide clean water, support healthy aquatic and wildlife, and offer recreational opportunities for all.

“The world is very different today than it was in 2002,” Hutelmyer said. “We need to take a moment to evaluate and adapt strategies to preserve water resources.”