Clean water is an important component of a healthy watershed ecosystem. It helps support diverse aquatic habitat, vibrant recreational areas, good quality drinking water, and adds to our aesthetic appreciation of the natural environment.

The primary goal of the water component of STEP is to advance the knowledge and practice of wet weather flow management through monitoring and applied research into the effectiveness and environmental impact of stormwater management practices.  Clean water technologies in the areas of stream restoration, water conservation, community wastewater treatment, and construction sediment control are also discussed in this section.