#Press Release# Submitted by City of Charlottesville Public Utilities September 12, 2017
Charlottesville & Albemarle County Community Raise Awareness about the Value of Water and “Why Does Every Drop Counts” with Student Art Contest
Local water utilities join national effort to raise awareness about the value of water and the importance of infrastructure and conservation efforts with a free, public event and student art contest
Charlottesville and Albemarle County, VA- The City of Charlottesville (City), Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA), and Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority (RWSA) will join the third annual “Imagine a Day without Water” national campaign to educate and inspire the community about the value of water in our everyday lives. In October, communities around the nation are participating in this effort to raise public awareness about the water infrastructure crisis currently facing the United States, highlight our local drinking water systems, and emphasize the importance of water conservation.
The City, ACSA, and RWSA will once again be holding their annual “Imagine a Day without Water” Student Art Contest. This contest will be open to all 1st – 8th grade students in Charlottesville and Albemarle. Art entries will be accepted September 12th – October 16th. This year, students are asked to artistically convey the new theme of “Why Does Every Drop Count?” Last year’s contest was a huge success bringing in over 440 entries, and we hope to see increased participation throughout the community. There will be cash prizes awarded to the top finishers in different age categories and a fan favorite selected by the community (voting from November 1st – 14th will be available online).
In addition, the City, ACSA, and RWSA will be hosting a public event on Wednesday, October 11th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on the Downtown Mall on the corner of East Main Street and 2nd Street NE next to the water fountain display at Central Place Plaza. There will be information about our public water utilities and water sources, free giveaways to help residents save water, and music entertainment provided by 106.1 The Corner. Last year’s winning entries from the art contest will also be on display.
“The City, ACSA, and RWSA are excited to once again bring the community together on this important topic,” said Gary O’Connell, ACSA’s Executive Director. “Water is a limited, natural resource that we all rely on every day. It is easy to forget the people, infrastructure, and healthy environment that are needed in order to get each person in the Charlottesville area clean, safe drinking water each day. We hope this campaign reminds the Charlottesville community that every drop counts when it comes to our water supply.”
More information about the Imagine a Day without Water campaign and art contest can be found here: www.charlottesville.org/artcontest. More information about Imagine a Day without Water can be found here: http://imagineadaywithoutwater.org.
Contacts:
Lauren Hildebrand, City of Charlottesville, (434) 970-3819
Gary O’Connell, Albemarle County Service Authority, (434) 977-4511
Bill Mawyer, Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority, (434) 977-2970
