City joins water-awareness project

Alex Coolman

NEWPORT BEACH -- A new alliance between a nonprofit agency, the Orange

County Water District and the city of Newport Beach will help educate

local kids about the importance of Southern California’s most essential

resource: drinking water.

The Blue Planet Foundation, a Fountain Valley nonprofit group that

focuses on water quality, will collaborate on the project with Newport

Beach and the water district, which provides water to 18 Orange County cities and agencies.

Together, the three groups will create a water-related exhibit at Santa

Ana’s Discovery Museum, a display that will demonstrate methods for water

quality testing and feature a wetland area in which kids can learn about

animal life.

The point of the effort is to help youngsters realize how much hard work

is necessary before a single drop of water can come out of the tap, said

Terresa Moritz, a management assistant in the city’s public works

department. Moritz added that Newport Beach contributed $2,500 to the

project.

“What we’re trying to do is create a hands-on activity for kids to go and

see how we get water in California, and then how the movement of water

has progressed here,” she said.

In addition to the museum exhibit, the water district and Blue Planet

will create a scholarship program for Orange County high school students

who plan to study subjects related to water and the environment.

“We want to get the community involved in some of our water education

activities,” said Ron Wildermuth, a spokesperson for the water district.

Ultimately, the point of so much education is to lay the foundation for

smart water habits down the road, Moritz said.

“Maybe they’ll grow up and be more educated adults,” she said.