In designating Water, Sanitation and Hygiene as one of its seven areas of focus, Rotary International was operating on a fundamental belief that “clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education are basic necessities for a healthy environment and a productive life.”
Today’s speaker, Laura Gregory, along with the organization she represents, Kentucky Waterways Alliance (KWA), is clearly in line with the Rotary playbook in this regard. Gregory is the Watershed Program Director for KWA, a statewide nonprofit organization. She works with watershed stewards of all kinds across Kentucky – community volunteers, watershed/”friends of”groups, and professionals in the field – in various capacities, such as partnering on projects, managing projects, fiscal sponsorship, technical support/guidance, and much more. Since 2017, she has managed on-the-ground septic installation for low-income families in Eastern Kentucky to help reduce bacteria in impaired waterways.
Since 1993, KWA has been the only statewide organization focused on waterways in Kentucky. They work with communities on local watershed issues and advocate for better policies and programs at the state and national levels. With a mission to protect, restore, and celebrate Kentucky’s waterways, their work is making a difference in the quality of life for all Kentuckians.
Today, Gregory will address why do we need septic education and assistance programs? She will accomplish this by taking a look at human impacts to waterways through the lens of septic care.KWA and Rotary have similar, neighboring septic assistance programs for low-income families in Eastern Kentucky. We will learn from personal stories and project experience why these programs are important for human and environmental health.
Our Club’s interest in this work is well established. Members will recall that by partnering withClubs from London, England and Nigeria, along with support from District 6740, was awarded aRotary Foundation Global Grant of $175,000. Using these funds, we will be installing septic systems in Leslie County, Kentucky and connecting homes to the Hyden – Leslie CountyKentucky Water District waterline. Eastern Kentucky has some of the poorest water quality in the United States.
Rotary in Review
Laura Gregory, Watershed Program Director
Kentucky Waterways Alliance
“Do unto those downstream as you would have those upstream do unto you.” Kentucky author Wendell Berry
This past week, our club had the pleasure of welcoming Laura Gregory, Watershed ProgramDirector for the Kentucky Waterways Alliance (KWA), for an important conversation about the health of Kentucky’s waterways, the critical role of advocacy and policy, and how efforts like those of our Club are making a difference in Eastern Kentucky and beyond.
Kentucky Waterways Alliance has been working for over thirty years to protect, restore, and celebrate the waterways of Kentucky–from large rivers to small creeks that flow through rural communities. Laura’s role is centered on building partnerships and programs that improve water quality and ensure access to clean, safe water for all Kentuckians, especially in areas where aging or non-existent infrastructure has left families vulnerable.
During her presentation, Laura outlined some of the biggest threats facing Kentucky’s water systems today, including pollution from failing septic systems, inadequate waste water infrastructure, and legacy pollution from industries and mining. Many of these issues disproportionately affect rural areas, where residents lack the resources to address failing septic systems or access reliable public water systems.
Laura also highlighted that water quality is not just an environmental issue–it’s a public health issue. Contaminated water can cause a wide range of health problems and reduce quality of life.Yet, the cost to fix failing septic systems is often out of reach for many families, and government programs designed to help can be limited in scope or difficult to navigate. That’s where advocacy and assistance programs championed by KWA come into play.
One of the most powerful connections Laura made was directly to OURClub’s work. Our Club has been committed to supporting clean water initiatives in Eastern Kentucky, helping provide safe sanitation options and addressing septic issues that directly impact water quality and community health. Our efforts to raise funds and awareness align perfectly with KWA’s mission, and Laura’s presentation served as a reminder of why our work matters so much.
Laura described the critical need for partnership between organizations like KWA, community leaders, and civic organizations like Rotary. By pooling our resources and influence, we can help bring real solutions to communities that are often overlooked. Laura also emphasized the importance of advocating for better state and federal policies that prioritize water and sanitation infrastructure for rural areas.
In closing, Laura offered a call to action: Continue supporting local and regional water quality projects. Help raise awareness of the challenges facing Eastern Kentucky communities.Advocate for stronger state and federal programs that address failing septic systems and access to clean water.
To learn more about how you can get involved or support KWA’s mission, go tokwalliance.org.
The Rotary Club of Lexington thanks Laura Gregory for an informative and inspiring presentation and for reminding us that protecting Kentucky’s waterways is a shared responsibility–and one that we are proud to be part of.