Preparing to Celebrate National Drinking Water Week

Philadelphia Water announced its schedule of events to be held in conjunction with National Drinking Water Week, May 2-8. All events will take place at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center.

May 3-8 features an exhibition of the winning drawings from the "Clean Water Begins and Ends with You" contest held for Philadelphia K-12 students. The Water Department's new 2003 Water Quality Report will also be available at the Interpretive Center beginning this week. The sixteen-page illustrated publication covers everything about Philadelphia's water, from its sources, to how water is treated, tested and monitored, and includes special instructions for those with special health needs.

Monday, May 3

• 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. -- Officials from federal, state and local government will sign the constitution of the Schuylkill Action Network, pledging their resources to protect and enhance the health of the river.
• 11:00 to 11:40 a.m. -- Presentation of the Educational Sector Source-Water Protection Award to seven regional schools and universities.

Tuesday, May 4

• 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. -- Tours of the Fairmount Water Works, undertaken in conjunction with the Fairmount Park Council for Historic Sites

Wednesday, May 5

• 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. -- Scientists from PWD's Bureau of Laboratory Services will be on hand to assist 40 students from Northeast High School who will be doing research for a water project.

Thursday, May 6

• 10:00 a.m. to noon -- Philadelphia Water Department experts explain and perform desk-top demonstrations of the water treatment process. Treatment plant managers will also field questions posed by more than 30 seventh-graders from the Martha Washington Middle School.
• 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. -- A panel of women engineers from PWD's treatment division will conduct a panel discussion on their personal experiences working for a water utility for a group of professional women in the environmental field.

Friday, May 7

• 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- Sixth and seventh-graders from the Souderton Charter School will visit the Interpretive Center to learn about its architecture.

The Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center is an environmental education center sponsored by the Philadelphia Water Department. For more information, call 215-685-0723, or visit www.fairmountwaterworks.org.

In addition, celebrating one of the World's most precious resources, New Jersey American will celebrate National Drinking Water Week, May 2-8 with a variety of events around the state.

New Jersey American will kick off the week on May 3 at The Camden County Library in Haddon Township. Representatives of the company will be on hand to talk with children about water conservation, treatment, and water source protection.

On May 6, at 10 a.m. at the Beverly Elementary School in Burlington County, New Jersey American associates will be joined by State Senator Diane Allen and other officials to dedicate and demonstrate the Enviroscape.

The Enviroscape is an interactive model that teaches children and adults about the sources of water pollution and ways to prevent it. The educational tool is also mobile, enabling the school to spread the word of water source protection throughout the community.

With the help of State Assemblyman Steve Corodemus, New Jersey American will also dedicate an Enviroscape to the Long Branch Elementary School in Monmouth County and State Senator Leonard Lance will help the company donate the teaching tool to the Brass Castle Elementary School in Warren County.

New Jersey American will continue the spirit of Water Week, the following week on May 10, by making a presentation to third graders at the Thomas P. Hughes Elementary School in Berkley Heights, Union County.

For more information, please call Lendel G. Jones at New Jersey American's Government Affairs Department at 609-512-3606 or 609-313-5356.

Source: Philadelphia Water, New Jersey American Water