Since launching in 2014, the Clean Water Partnership in Prince George’s County, Maryland has provided a blueprint on how the government and a company can work together to simultaneously tackle environmental challenges and achieve community and business development.

In this episode, Roland Jones of CIS and Jim Lyons of Prince George’s County discuss how this groundbreaking community-based public-private partnership has implemented extensive green infrastructure while ensuring 80 percent of the $340 million spent stays in the county. The initiative includes a mentor-protégé program that has trained and empowered 60 firms.

Projects like the Treat and Teach program at schools combine environmental education with practical infrastructure upgrades, reaching over 40,000 students. By prioritizing local businesses, workforce development, and community outreach, the Clean Water Partnership sets a national example of how the public and private sectors can collaborate.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.