Students at twelve DCPS schools will be participating in an exciting program that raises awareness of local water issues and improves water conservation and stormwater management in school buildings and grounds.
Be Water Wise DC was established by the nonprofit National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and includes lesson plans and activities such as measuring water flow rates and determining total water use in school buildings and grounds. The program is made possible through the support of companies such as lead sponsor HSBC Bank, as well as local agencies and nonprofit organizations committed to protecting the region’s natural resources.
Managing stormwater is a challenge for D.C. and the region. When it rains, water flows across streets, sidewalks and parking lots. Along the way, the rainwater picks up oil, trash and other contaminants, carrying them to streams and rivers including the Anacostia and Potomac and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay.
Students participating in Be Water Wise DC will develop projects at their schools and in their local communities, such as planting rain gardens, installing rain barrels and other projects to reduce runoff and help rainwater soak into the ground. At the end of their projects next spring, students will present to city officials what they have learned and the solutions they have developed to understand how they could contribute to their local communities as adults.
