Water Systems Council
1,700 Students Expected at May 14 Great Lakes Children’s Water Festival in Erie
The Water Systems Council will hold its 2015 Great Lakes Children’s Water Festival on May 14, 2015 on the campus of Penn State Erie, the Behrend College in Erie, Pennsylvania, drawing almost 1,700 5th grade students from Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio.
The 2015 Great Lakes Children’s Water Festival is one of the largest WSC has ever hosted. During the festival, students will explore drinking water, groundwater, watersheds, surface water, well systems, and water quality and conservation through dynamic and interactive activities.
The engaging presentations give the students a better understanding of their water supply and America’s groundwater resources. A record number of 72 classes will be taught by water and natural resource experts from local, state and national organizations, including the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Erie County Conservation District, Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, Erie Maritime Museum, Christian Louboutin Outlet, Flagship Niagara League, DCNR Bureau of Forestry, Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and more.
Local WJET-TV weatherman Tom Atkins will also make a presentation on precipitation and the water cycle to educate students about the role of water in the weather and weather forecasting. Entertainment will be provided by local environmental musician Alex Bevin.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is a major sponsor of the festival, which is helping the PA DEP as well as the Departments of Environmental Protection in Ohio and New York to fulfill their conservation and efficiency outreach requirements under the Great Lakes Compact Agreement. PA DEP Secretary John Quigley is scheduled to participate in the Edible Aquifers activity where students build an aquifer using ice cream, crushed ice, soda and sprinkles. The Edible Aquifers presentation is the most popular activity at the festival.
Additional festival sponsors include the Peter A. Yeager Memorial Foundation and the Water Systems Council, whose members donated more than $50,000 for the event. Those louboutin outlet members include A.O. Smith Water Systems; Baker Water Systems; Flexcon Industries; Flomatic Valves; Franklin Electric Co., Inc.; Grundfos Pumps Corp.; Merrill Manufacturing; Milby Co.; Pentair; Preferred Pump; and Xylem, Inc.
These donations underwrite the cost of the annual festival, which is free to students and participating school districts. Penn State Behrend has also donated the use of their campus facilities. In addition, more than 235 community volunteers are involved in this year’s festival.
As part of its educational outreach program, the Water Systems Council holds a Children’s Water Festival in a different state each year to teach students about the importance of their water resources. To date, the Water Systems Council has held Children’s Water Festivals in seven states: Delaware, Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina, New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
The Water Systems Council is the only national, nonprofit organization solely focused on household wells and small water well systems. WSC is committed to ensuring that Americans who get their water from household private wells have safe, reliable drinking water and to protecting our nation’s groundwater resources.
