Water and Drought
Water Conservation Education
The urgency for water conservation education has come to the forefront in 2007 as Georgia faces a drought of historical proportions. Two statewide water conservation programs were initiated in Macon this past year. The Winning Water festival focused on elementary students in the Ocmulgee and Lower Oconee river basins. More than 1,100 fourth graders attended the Winning Water festival. Bibb County Cooperative Extension and Master Gardeners taught and assisted with a variety of topics. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced that Macon was a pilot community for the WaterSmart initiative. Bibb County Cooperative Extension, along with the help of other community organizations, drew upon these programs to spread the message of water conservation to the public. Eighty-one homeowners were educated on the importance of indoor and outdoor water conservation at several civic presentations. Master Gardeners educated youth at several locations with the hands-on activity, Edible Aquifers. Presentations for local clubs emphasized conservation both in the home and landscape. Additionally, a water conservation exhibit was constructed for the 2007 Georgia National Fair. About 40,000 to 45,000 visitors viewed the WaterSmart Exhibit. (2007)
Sources
| Name | Department | |
| Karol Kelly | karolk@uga.edu | Bibb County Cooperative Extension |
| Kathryn Taylor | kctaylor@uga.edu | Horticulture |