May 8, 2008 issue
When Every Drop Counts—Art Saves Water
Story by Jason R. Sakurai
In its third year, the Town of Boone’s Public Utilities water conservation poster contest has grown from 5 submissions in year one, to 45 last year, to 97 this year, a huge increase thanks to the teachers who have embraced the program. Using the same tagline the department adopted as its theme, Every Drop Counts, second grade students whose schools are on the town water system were invited to create posters to compete for prizes and recognition.
Town of Boone staff and elected officials judged the posters, scoring each of their top five picks. This year’s first prize winner is Matthew Harwell, a student in Mrs. Hyler’s class at Hardin Park Elementary. Harwell’s entry earned him a bicycle and helmet and a $100 savings bond, and his artwork will be reproduced on the Every Drop Counts T-shirts that the utilities department will have made in July and used throughout the year in their various water conservation efforts.
The second place prize winner is Indi Holt, a Two Rivers Community School student in Mrs. Leni’s class, who won $40 in Wal-Mart gift cards and a $50 savings bond. Holly Elizabeth Greene, Ms. Cottrell’s student at Hardin Park, took third prize, a $20 Wal-Mart gift card and a $50 savings bond. “Each of the winners will receive their awards at the Town Council meeting on May 15, presented by Rick Miller, the director of Public Utilities, and Mayor Loretta Clawson,” said Program Coordinator Andrea Gimlin.
Honorable mentions went to artists whose entries received more than 200 points in the voting: Bianca Smart, Mrs. Leni and Mrs. Halle’s class, Two Rivers Community School; Sarah Phillips, Mrs. Queen’s class, Hardin Park; Olivia Michael, Mrs. Blackburn’s class, Hardin Park; and Sam Taubman, Mrs. Blackburn’s class, Hardin Park. For their efforts, these students will receive one of the new Every Drop Counts T-shirts once they are printed.
Gimlin stated, “We had three classes who achieved 100 percent participation in the poster contest who will each receive a pizza party at Cici’s and a tour of the water treatment plant courtesy of the Town of Boone, and they are Mrs. Roberts’ class at Appalachian Christian School, Mrs. Queen’s class at Hardin Park, and Mrs. Leni’s class at Two Rivers.” She added, “Any class who wishes to tour the water treatment plant can do so by calling or stopping by our office.”
Last summer’s water conservation efforts in Boone have paid off in reduced usage, and new conservation projects are planned for this summer. Rain barrels will be installed on town properties for use in watering flowers and shrubs, and the town will hold a rain barrel giveaway. Beginning in June, town residents can register at the Public Utilities office or online at www.townofboone.net for monthly drawings for two rain barrels. In addition, the Public Utilities pages at the town website will be upgraded, and the department will mail leak detection tablets to residents on town water. These tablets, used in the toilet to indicate a leak, will be provided free of charge. Those outside the service area can purchase leak detection tablets for a nominal charge.
New public service announcements will feature town council and community leaders, water audits will be done for town properties and utilities staff will investigate the potential for using effluent water from the wastewater treatment plant for plant watering, salt brine and other uses.
To help promote even more conservation, all businesses are being encouraged to undergo a voluntary water audit.
In its proactive approach to water conservation, Town of Boone staff and elected officials are teaching children, identifying residential leaks, looking at its own water usage and assessing business usage in its water conservation efforts.
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