Joining the effort to clean up areas of the Tar River this year, Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant employees are once again teaming up with Sound Rivers, a nonprofit organization that monitors the health of the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico watersheds.
And Cummins’ commitment to clean water does not stop with its employee volunteers. Grants from the Midwest-based power train giant fund Sound Rivers’ water-quality monitoring program, Swim Guide, and the construction of green stormwater infrastructure at Nash County Public Schools.
“The grant will also support Sound Rivers’ Litter-Free Rivers program with the installation of a trash trap on East Tarboro Canal in Tarboro in the fall,” stated Vail Rumley, Sound Rivers’ communications specialist.
The passive litter-collection device — the sixth the nonprofit organization has installed on small urban waterways throughout the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico watersheds — traps trash washed into the water by stormwater runoff, which is then removed by teams of volunteers before the trash can reach the river, Rumley noted.
“The Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant has certainly demonstrated that stewardship of our region’s natural resources is a priority for them,” said Sound Rivers Executive Director Heather Deck.
Deck said the organization’s partnership with Cummins prioritizes investment in the Twin Counties region, where Cummins plant employees work and live, adding, “it’s really great to have the energy, passion and expertise of Cummins employees working for a clean and healthy Tar-Pamlico River.”
The partnership is entering its second year. In October 2023 and again this June, Cummins employees and Sound Rivers staff held cleanups via kayak of a stretch of the Tar River between Historic Tree Park and Sunset Park. The group held another cleanup of the land surrounding Cowlick Branch in March. A total of 1,100 pounds of trash was collected during the three events.
“The expansion to a larger strategic grant was natural, due to the positive relationship our employees had with the organization and the great work the organization does for the community,” said Scott Saum, Cummins Water Works program manager. “Sound Rivers’ dedication to protecting watersheds in North Carolina fits directly into our goal of strengthening communities through sustainable water.”
That goal includes improving water quality, water quantity and access to hygiene and sanitation facilities in the communities where Cummins employees live and work, Saum said.
“As a company, we realize if we are able to improve a community’s access to water, it will make a large impact on the lives of the people living there,” Saum said. “Water is key to multiple aspects of our business — it’s required for manufacturing processes, supporting employees and healthy communities.”
Supporting Sound Rivers’ projects is a great way to support the community, according to Cummins CEO Jennifer Rumsey.
“Water is the great uniter; it impacts all aspects of our business and communities. Strong communities cannot exist without sustainable water,” Rumsey said.
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