A thirst for clean water flowing from Berks County

Furnace Stream Farms sits at the foot of deeply forested Kittatinny Ridge. Furnace Creek runs through the farm's pastures, still clean and pure after its descent from its headwaters.

At least eight organizations, as well as the dairy farm's owners, are striving to keep it that way.

The farm is one of dozens in Berks County that is getting help from Berks Nature, Stroud Water Research Center, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and their partners in protecting its waters. It is part of a wider effort throughout the Delaware River Basin called the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, a collaboration of 65 nongovernmental organizations working together to protect the Delaware River and its tributaries, which provide drinking water for 15 million people in four states.