Andre Allen, a student at Flat Rock Middle School, is the Fayette County winner in the fourth annual water conservation and preservation essay contest, sponsored by the Clean Water Campaign and the Water Use It Wisely Campaign. Allen, a sixth-grader, received a $25 cash prize. Allen was presented with an award Dec. 12 by Tyrone Mayor Sheryl Lee.

The two organizations, Clean Water Campaign and Water Use It Wisely, teamed up to encourage children and parents to address the growing need to improve water quality and conservation efforts in Georgia. Students researched and shared their thoughts on why conserving water and preventing water pollution are important for the future of their river, lakes and streams. The main goal of this program is to encourage students to create inventive solutions to water conservation and water quality in metro North Georgia.

In Allen’s essay, he said, “Picture if you will, a future with an irreversible drought. Water is scarce, and the water we do have is polluted and it is undrinkable.” He added, “This is the future if we face if the water we have is not saved.”

Lee said in presenting the award, “Part of our job in county government is to teach residents and businesses about water pollution and conservation.” She said, “The Water System has been testing our streams and lakes at 17 locations since 1997 to make sure that the water quality is good.” She added, “The lab tests include pH, conductivity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. We also protect our streams by requiring that trees, shrubs and other vegetation along streams are preserved. This protects the stream and the land associated with flood plains.” She concluded with, “You are the future of Fayette County. With your continued help, we will have clean rivers, lakes and streams.”

The contest was open to sixth, seventh and eighth graders in Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding, Rockdale and Walton counties. More than 1,000 middle school students from throughout the district participated. Each participating school submitted its winning essay for the county competition, and one overall winner was selected from among the county winners. County winners receive a Clean Water Campaign/Water Use It Wisely certificate presented by an elected official from that county.

To view the names of the winners and the winning essays, visit the Clean Water Campaign’s Web site (www.cleanwatercampaign.com) and click on the essay contest link.

The Clean Water Campaign is a cooperative, multi-agency public education initiative spearheaded by local governments in metro Atlanta, supported by the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District and managed by the Atlanta Regional Commission. Its mission is to build awareness of water quality problems and solutions in the Atlanta region.

Water Use It Wisely (www.wateruseitwisely.com) is a program that educates consumers about specific and simple water conservation measures they can use everyday to help. It is a multi-state program that is being sponsored in the metro Atlanta area by the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District in partnership with the Georgia Pollution Prevention Assistance Division.