Pollution Prevention Award
Delaware Honors Ohio Wesleyan, Environmental Studies Program
John Krygier (left), director of OWU’s Environmental Studies Program, is congratulated by Brad Stanton, Delaware’s director of Public Utilities, as Stanton presents Krygier and Ohio Wesleyan with the city’s 2014 Storm Water Pollution Prevention Award. (Photo by Cole Hatcher)
In 2014, Ohio Wesleyan University students and volunteers helped to clean 500 pounds of trash from the Olentangy River and 200 pounds of refuse from adjacent roadways.
Students in OWU’s Environmental Studies Program also helped to monitor water quality in local streams and install a floating treatment wetland, which uses plants grown on floating mats rather than rooted in sediment to help purify storm water as effectively as possible.
For these efforts and more, Ohio Wesleyan has earned Delaware’s 2014 Storm Water Pollution Prevention Award. The award was presented during the May 11 City Council meeting to John Krygier, director of OWU’s Environmental Studies Program.
During the presentation, Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle recognized Ohio Wesleyan for “distinguished community service and an exceptional Environmental Studies program in prevention of storm water pollution.”
Brad Stanton, Delaware’s director of Public Utilities, presented the award to Krygier, who was accompanied by OWU President Rock Jones.
“John and the students get all the credit,” Jones said. “It’s also about the passion of John and many of our faculty for the environment and for our community.”
Krygier said students are excited by the opportunity to collaborate with the city and to make a real impact on the environment. “Hopefully, it’s good for the city and good for the environment,” he said.
In Stanton’s letter notifying Ohio Wesleyan of the award, he noted: “John Krygier, Laurel Anderson, Karen Crosman, Craig Jackson, and the Environmental Studies Program at Ohio Wesleyan University have made great strides to improve the local water quality. …
“The City of Delaware would like to thank Ohio Wesleyan University for the continued efforts of improving Delaware and the local water quality,” Stanton concluded. “Congratulations to Ohio Wesleyan University on this recognition and award!”
Learn more about Delaware’s storm water management efforts at www.delawareohio.net/departments/Public_Utilities/storm_water.aspx. Learn more about OWU’s Environmental Studies Program at https://www.owu.edu/academics/departments-programs/environmental-studies-program/.