Utility Celebrations

Celebrating Drinking Water Week is an easy way to educate the public, connect with the community, and promote employee moral. Too often, water utilities receive publicity only when something bad happens - a water main breaks in the middle of rush hour or you have to raise your rates, again. Drinking Water Week celebrations give you an opportunity for some positive communication. AWWA has compiled a toolkit for utilities to use to reach out to your employees, your customers, and your community.

Public Communication - Whether you send out press releases, take out ads in your local newspaper, or use any of the other ideas provided, communicating the public during drinking water week is integral to any successful celebration.

Community Events - It is important for you to be a part of your local community. Community events are fun and festive ways to make sure that your customers know about their drinking water - where it comes from, how they get it, and what they can do to help ensure their drinking water quality.

Youth Focus - Drinking Water Week is a perfect time to educate children about their water supply in an atmosphere of fun.

Internal Communications - Don't forget your employees! Drinking Water Week can help reaffirm to your employees the importance of what it is they do - provide clean, safe drinking water for the public.

Public Communication Advertise in your local newspaper. Send Bill Stuffers. Work with your librarian to set up a Library Display. Use Mall Kiosks to reach a broad audience. Coordinate distribution of AWWA News Releases. Publicize the release of your Consumer Confidence Report.	The "Water Witches" appeared on local television stations to assist with weather forecasts in St. John's Newfoundland. The Gainesville (FL) Sun, included drinking water insert that focused on safety and purity issues in an issue during Drinking Water week.

Advertise

Advertising can be a quick and easy way to reach your audience. You can create an advertising supplement or place an ad in your local newspaper, or you can submit a public service announcement (PSA) to you local radio or television stations.

How to create an advertising supplement:

1. Gather text material. This can consist of Drinking Water Week and water facts, news releases, your particular utility news, and information about any events you intend to conduct.
2. Contact the Advertising Sales Manager at your local newspaper. The Sales Manager will ask for the names of prospective sponsors to contribute to the cost of the supplement. The newspaper sales team will contact the sponsors you provide.
3. After contacting potential advertising sponsors, the newspaper will provide you with a bid for the project. You should consider ordering extra copies of the supplement to be utilized for future events at your utility, as press kit inserts, etc.
4. Provide the Sales Manager with the text material. You may work with the staff artist at the newspaper to enliven the supplement.

How to create and place a print ad:

1. Contact the Advertising Sales Manger at your local newspaper. Things to consider when purchasing ad space (the Sales Manager will be able to help you) include:
   

A banner was displayed over a busy street in Rapid City, SD during the week saying "Celebrate National Drinking Water Week--Don't Be a Waterhog".

Size - do you want a full-page ad? Half or a quarter page? Smaller ads are usually described in column inces. Money - How much are you willing to spend? Run-time - how often do you want your ad to run? Just once? Everyday? Color - Do you want the ad in color or black and white? Keep in mind that color ads are usually more expensive. Be sure to verify the technical specifications for the design and deadlines for submitting your ad.

2. Gather text material. This can consist of Drinking Water Week and water facts, news releases, your particular utility news, and information about any events you intend to conduct.
3. Contact a local designer to help design your ad. Your local newspaper may be able to help you. If your utility is near a college or design school, you may be able to find a student to do design the ad for a minimal cost.

Bill Stuffers

Including bill stuffers, pamphlets or flyers in each customer's bill is a quick and easy way to communicate. You can also try sending them separately if Drinking Water Week does not fit into your billing schedule. AWWA has bill stuffers available on many topics, including conservation, effective landscaping and general facts abut water. Order a copy of AWWA's Bookstore catalog, or call 1-800-926-7337 to receive a free bill stuffer sample kit.

Library Display

What better place to learn about water than the library! Meet with your local librarians and discuss options for celebrating Drinking Water Week. Encourage the library to set up a display of water books during Drinking Water Week. Provide the library with bookmarks and pamphlets to distribute, such as those in the AWWA Bookstore catalog. Sponsor story hours for youngsters and invite local celebrities to do the reading. Select an appropriate video about water and invite senior

In Orange County, California, WCHL broadcast water trivia questions and had prize giveaways. Orange County Water & Sewer employees were on hand at an area mall information booth to talk about their services, distribute balloons, and conducted a drawing for a free boat and lake use pass.

• in to watch. (This activity might be held in conjunction with a senior citizen tour to a water facility.)
• Set up a display at the library. It could include items like water conservation devices such as low-flow shower heads or aerators; xeriscape, drought-resistant plant photographs; a piece of broken pipe; a water shut-off valve; and fact sheets or Straight Talk documents.

Mall Kiosks

Send a letter to a local mall management company representative, enclosing information about Drinking Water Week. Ask if your utility can bring materials for distribution at the mall during the week of May 7-13. Follow up with a phone call. Duplicate your newsletter, water fact sheets, releases, etc. and bring to the mall information desk.

Community Events Invite your community to an Open House Inaugurate an Adopt-a-Hydrant Program Plant a Tree Plan Tours Hold a Landmark Dedication/Anniversary Celebration Bury a Time Capsule	The board of commissioners in Memphis, TN held its public meeting at a water quality laboratory, invited the press, and issued its water quality report.

Open House

An Open House can showcase your operations and be an informative and entertaining event for your community and can showcase your operations. It will give your customers a better understanding of how your plant operates and allow them to look behind the scenes. You can use the generic event checklist and budget checklist as a guide. Some considerations for an Open House:

• Give your visitors things to look at. If you have filters, run a backwash periodically during the open house and explain what's happening. Let people look through a microscope; let them compare the taste of regular tap water and distilled "pure" water. Display different types of meters, pipes, joints, tools and other equipment used on the job. Prepare a map of the distribution system.
• In addition to equipment/career/conservation displays that might be of interest, consider partnering with your local water pollution control association, area nurseries, garden clubs, and hardware stores.
• Consider presentations on such topics as xeriscaping; how-to make minor plumbing repairs; how water meters work; hazardous waste disposal; water conservation and lower water bills; leak-locating equipment; or how to conserve water and lower water bills.
• Which industrial companies in your area have met their permit and reporting requirements for an entire year without a violation? Are there any citizens who have made outstanding contributions in protecting your area's water supply? Consider an award ceremony during your open house festivities to recognize them.

Greeley, CO sponsored a poster contest with a $100 savings bond as first prize. The posters were displayed in the city mall. In addition, they conducted a fire-hydrant painting session for class groups. The teachers who participated received recognition at a Drinking Water Open House held at the Greeley Reservoir.

Don't forget refreshments and gifts. Hot dogs, ice cream, soft drinks, helium-filled balloons and candy are among giveaways that will be gratefully received. Local businessmen may be willing to donate contest gifts (sprinklers, hose, grass seed) and food. It doesn't hurt to ask! Offer audiovisual treats. Shoot slides and prepare your own show. One utility wrote a script and shot a half-hour videotape of their operations which is used year-around at area schools and for speaking engagements, as well as within the plant. Have a guessing contest. Ask visitors to estimate how many gallons were treated in the month of April; how many gallons were pumped in the last 12 months; how many gallons will leak from a dripping faucet in a single 24-hour day (and have one right there, dripping into a barrel).

Adopt-a-Hydrant Program

If you live where winter blizzards can cover up fire hydrants, announce an "adoption" program, where people agree to keep their neighborhood hydrant shoveled clear and/or with a high-visibility flag attached. You can issue certificates of adoption, suitable for framing. It is a great idea to kick off during Drinking Water Week.

Plant a Tree

Use the week as an occasion for donating trees to a park or a hospital or in front of the state capitol. Do you have a recreation area at the reservoir that needs more greenery?

Tours

Tours are another good way to introduce your community to their water supply. You might consider contacting a local geologist to accompany a tour. Possible tour sites may include:

Your facility An historic pump station Xeriscape demonstration areas A fish hatchery A dam A reservoir

Orange County, CA sponsored a T-shirt making contest, a Senior Center field trip to Cane Creek, and a clean-up with a local Girl Scout Troupe.

Landmark Dedication/Anniversary Celebration

Since 1969 AWWA has designated more than 100 buildings, reservoirs, filtration plants, standpipes and other water facilities as American or Canadian Water landmarks. Once your landmark designation is complete, you can host a grand ceremony and unveiling during Drinking Water Week.

1. Invite a dignitary to attend the dedication.
2. Notify the media to announce the event in conjunction with Drinking Water Week.
3. Prepare flyers announcing the dedication to your customers.
4. Contact high schools in your area to determine participation by the school band.
5. Arrange for refreshments.
6. Enlist a photographer.
7. Cover the monument with a sheet or tie it with a big ribbon, and have the dignitary remove the covering after a few words.
8. Or celebrate an anniversary. Use Drinking Water Week as the occasion for observing a 25th, 50th, 100th or other anniversary of a building, the inauguration of service to the community, or the retirement of a valued employee or director.

Time Capsule

Burying a time capsule is a unique way to celebrate Drinking Water Week. This might tie in with observance of a major anniversary.

1. Gather historic documents and implements.
2. Invite local celebrities to contribute meaningful items.
3. Include a typical water bill, the annual report, your Consumer Confidence Report, and any other things you can think of that might interest people 100 years from today--or whenever you choose to set the great digging up day.

Youth Focus

"Alice in Waterland", a puppet show, was presented to local schools In Rapid City, SD.

Feature a children's Coloring Contest or Essay Contest Hold a Poster Contest A great community outreach method: School Presentations

Coloring Contest

1. Print a coloring page from the selection on this site or design another water-related coloring picture.
2. Plan to divide the competition into age groups or school grades.
3. Duplicate the coloring page.
4. Create your competition rules and print them on the reverse side of the coloring picture. Make sure you establish a contest entry deadline.
5. Secure permission from the school district to approach the principals about participating in the contest. Follow up the call with a letter. Allow school officials at least two weeks to consider your request.
6. After getting school district permission, send a letter to all of the district's principals asking for permission and including a deadline for their responses. Phone the principals who haven't responded by the deadline to get their permission.
7. Once permission is obtained, deliver the entry forms to the schools in person. Package the entries in bundles of 30 or 35 so school personnel can easily drop the forms in teachers' mailboxes.
8. Appoint a team to judge the contest. Consider having at least one teacher as one of the judges. As soon as the judging panel is determined, set a date to judge the contest entries.
9. Send a reminder to all participating schools two weeks before the contest deadline so the principals will have enough time to remind the staff about the contest.
10. The day before the contest entry deadline, call the school to remind them the entry forms will be picked up the next day.
11. On the day of the deadline, pick up the entries at the schools.
12. Notify the winners by telephone. Be sure to talk with a parent or guardian, and not just the winner. A child may forget to tell his or her parents. On the phone, tell the parents what the child has won and invite them if you will have a reception for the winners and their families. Follow up the phone call with a letter.
13. Inform the winners' principals and teachers so they can spotlight the accomplishments of the child and school. Invite the principals and teachers to the winners' reception to thank them for their efforts.
14. Take a black and white picture of the judges while they determine the winners and send it to local newspapers.
15. Announce the winners on your website, newsletter, area newspapers.
16. Write to the principals of those schools that did not have winners. In the letter, list the winners and prizes awarded. Thank them for participating and wish them luck with next year's contest if you plan to continue holding these. Send a thank-you note to each school district administrator who authorized the schools' participation.
17. Display the winning entries in your lobby or customer service area.
18. Suggested prizes: Savings bonds, tickets to area attractions, ribbons, certificates, letter from your utility's manager, artist kits, etc.

Essay Contest Sponsor an essay contest for older students around the theme, "Water Works Wonders". Prizes will motivate middle and high school students. If the contest targets high school students participation, a day at a water treatment plant may be a good prize. Portable TV's, compact discs, CD players, and boom boxes, as well as savings bonds and tickets to area attractions, might be great prizes. Perhaps local merchants might donate the prizes in exchange for advertising.

The New England Water Works Association, scheduled the Theatre for Children troupe to perform plays about water protection and conservation. It also works with a partnership of agencies and organizations within Massachusetts, where the section is headquartered, to sponsor educational activities.

3. Follow directions on contacting the schools' administrators, as for the coloring contest above.
4. Appoint a team of judges to review the entries. Try to find a professional author who might be part of the judging team.
5. Distribute the essay contest flyer.
6. Announce and publish the winning entries on your website, newsletter, area newspapers.
7. Suggested prizes: Savings bonds, tickets to area attractions, ribbons, certificates, letter from your utility manager, etc.

Poster Contest

1. See the coloring and essay contest procedures if you plan to conduct the contest in area schools.
2. Create an official entry form and rules.
3. The poster should portray the theme "Water Works Wonders" with a slogan, picture, or both.
4. Divide entrants into age groups such as the following: K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12.

School Presentations

You might think of a captivating character to visit schools in your area and speak to elementary classes. Here are a few "personalities" to inspire you:

• Captain Hydro and the Water Bandit - Illinois-American Water Company
• Puddles The Duck - Missouri Cities Water Company Mascot
• "Alice in Waterland" Puppet Show at Rapid City Water Division
• The Water Wizard, Captain Sewer and the Plant Lady - Little Rock Municipal Water Works
• Professor Philonius T. Pflugelhorn, an environmental magician at the Bachman Open House in Texas

You can also show a water video at the school, or hold a Q&A on careers in the water industry. AWWA has several videos available in the Bookstore.

Internal Communications and Events

• Hold your Annual Employee Picnic during Drinking Water Week
• A simple method of celebration is to create a utility Newsletter Feature on Drinking Water Week

Employee Picnic

An employee picnic is a great way to launch Drinking Water Week. You could also hold a Grand Finale Celebration.

In Rapid City, SD, supervisors cook for the annual Employee Appreciation Day picnic. Afterwards, they take the time to thank their employees.

Gather a group of picnic coordinators for the exchange of ideas, and assign task forces for invitation/program preparation, food, entertainment, set-up/clean-up. Print out the event checklist and highlight those areas that apply within your framework. Consider inviting local members government and school officials. Provide all guests with a program of picnic activities. Begin with a toast to your staff for their dedication.

8. Present any awards for exceptional service.
9. Provide a barbecue, catered, box lunch or coordinate a pot luck, depending upon budget considerations.
10. Be sure to plan children's activities. Suggestions: clown, face-painting, balloons, pinata.
11. Adult Suggestions: Relay race, volleyball, team race to fill a water container, etc.

Newsletter Feature

A feature in your company newsletter should acknowledge that Drinking Water Week is a major water industry event and recognize the contributions of your staff in helping celebrate. You should also print coverage of any awards or contests your utility has conducted.

If you have any questions or comments on the Drinking Water Week Celebrations listed here, or you have a celebration idea you would like to se added, please contact Kylah Hedding, Public Affairs Manager, at khedding@awwa.org or 303-347-6140.