HCWA Awards Art Contest Winners
Henry County Students showcased their talents to express artistically ho
w to “Imagine a Day Without Water.” This national day of recognition provided an opportunity for the HCWA to educate students on the value of water and water infrastructure, as well as the importance of water conservation.
“The Art Contest challenged students to use their creativity to show the importance of water conservation in protecting our most valuable natural resource,” says Lindsey Sanders, HCWA Environmental Compliance Coordinator, who organized the event on behalf of the Authority and in partnership with Henry County Schools.
This year marked the first Art Contest for Henry County Students to commemorate “Imagine a Day Without Water.”
During a recent Board Meeting, the HCWA recognized Art Contest winners in four age group categories, along with teachers who promoted the event within their classrooms. Each student received a $100 gift card for winning their age division. The winning students included:
* Avery Chhom, a 1st Grade Student of Ms. Grace at Hampton Elementary, won the K to 2nd Grade category.
* Cayden William, a 4th Grade Student of Ms. Ireland at East Lake Elementary, won the 3rd to 5th Grade category.
* Alesia Fitzhugh, a 6th Grade Student of Ms. Beavers and Ms. Parker, at Locust 
Grove Middle School, won the 6th to 8th Grade category. Ms. Beavers and Ms. Parker also attended the HCWA Board Meeting.
* And Stella McClellan, a 10th Grade Student of Ms. Rommelman at the Academy of Advanced Studies, won the 9th to 12th Grade category. Ms. Rommelman also attended the HCWA Board Meeting.
Denise Howard, Teacher at Dutchtown Elementary, won the drawing for a $100 gift card to be used in the classroom.
“Imagine A Day Without Water” is a national education initiative established by the Value of Water Campaign of the U.S. Water Alliance. This day of recognition brings together diverse stakeholders to highlight how water is essential, invaluable, and in need of investment. This year, the celebration kicked off on Oct. 23, and included events, resolutions, student contests, social media engagement, and more, all across the country.
Founded in 2015, an average of more than 1,100 individuals or organizations are p
articipating in this event, annually. In addition to water utilities such as the HCWA, participants have included agencies, elected officials, water professionals, contractors, civil engineers, schools, aquariums, and others.
The HCWA serves approximately 60,000 water metered customers, representing 174,000 consumers in a county of more than 213,000 citizens. The HCWA has approximately 1,347 miles of transmission and distribution water mains, 15 storage tanks with 28.9 million gallons of finished drinking water storage capacity, and two water treatment plants with a combined production capacity of 40.5 million gallons per day (MGD).
Yet, to accommodate growth and economic development in the community in the future, the Authority has a long-term capital improvement plan that will require an estimated $935 million in water and sewer infrastructure upgrades and/or expansion over the next 30 years.
Captions for photos
Pic 1:
Avery Chhom (right), winner of the K-2nd Grade Category, pictured with her mother Jessica.
Pic 2:
Cayden Williams (right), winner of the 3rd-5th Grade Category, pictured with her parents Ayanna and Christopher Williams.
Pic 3:
Alesia Fitzhugh (left), winner of the 6th-8th Grade Category, pictured with Lindsey Sanders, HCWA Environmental Compliance Coordinator.
Pic 4:
Stella McClellan, winner of the 9th-12th Grade Category, pictured with Lindsey Sanders, who organized the “Imagine A Day Without Water” Art Contest for the Authority and Henry County Schools.
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Media contact:
Chris Wood, Ph.D.
P: 770-757-1681
E: chris@jwapr.com or john.wood@gcsu.edu
HCWA contact:
Lindsey Sanders, Environmental Compliance Coordinator
P: 678-583-3809
E: Lindsey.Sanders@hcwa.com