“FROM TODAY’S YOUTH COME TOMORROW’S LEADERS – LET’S LEAD SOME TO THE WATER PROFESSION!” This is the mission statement of the planning committee for the Georgia Association for Water Professionals (GAWP) Model Water Tower Competition (MWTC). This annual competition was hosted by Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority (CCWSA) in Cherokee County for the second time on March 6th, 2020 at E.T. Booth Middle School. This STEM activity focuses on students learning complex concepts such as hydraulic and structural efficiency while thinking green and using recycled materials. The competition expanded to include 3 schools this year: E.T. Booth, Creekland and Mill Creek Middle School. Approximately 150 students participated in the competition. They had a total of 8 weeks to plan, design and build their water towers. Each school had engineering professionals mentoring them along the way with design, structure, and functionality of the towers. Eight model water towers advanced to the county competition from each school. Prizes were given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place plus superlatives. E.T. Booth MS’s water tower “Snow Day” took home the 1st place prize. Mrs. Reeder, from E.T. Booth, can proudly display the district MWTC waterdrop trophy. In total $4000 was invested into the MWTC from CCWSA, CedarChem, Bermex, Hayes Pipe Supply Inc, Freese and Nichols, Brown and Caldwell, Engineering Strategies Inc and Hazen and Sawyer. Thank you to all the volunteers that made the competition possible by judging and leading student activities. We are looking forward to this competition being a part of our educational programs for years to come.

Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority (CCWSA) recognized six Cherokee County students at the NWGA Regional Science & Engineering Fair on February 8th, 2020 at Alliance Academy for Innovation High School. The students were recognized for excellence in their projects that focused on the environmental field. Students excelled at all levels from elementary school through high school.

This was the first year that elementary school students participated in the regional science and engineering fair. Hunter Hawkins from Hasty Elementary School was recognized for his project “How can farmers solve the problem of erosion?“ Three students from E.T. Booth were recognized: Madeline May for her project “Which Homemade Water Filter is the Most Effective at Cleaning Water and Particulates?” , Lydia Wooley with her project “What are the Different Types of Microplastics and Inorganic Waste in the Lakes?”  and Victoria Ramos-Jackson with her project “Lead along the Roadways: Which has more Lead?” All three placed 1st and will be advancing to the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair. Two students from Woodstock High School were recognized: Isabel Plower with her project “The Effect of the FAS ll Pathway on Agro-Industrial Waste” and Brodie Solomon with his project “The Effect of Water Pump Filtration on Microplastics in Freshwater.” Brodie Solomon placed 3rd with his excellent project on Microplastics filtration (see photo below).   Isabel Plower placed 1st and will be advancing to the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair. The recognized students received a certificate, goodie bag and a $50 gift card.

Isabel Plower, Woodstock High School Science and Engineering Fair Winner Will England presenting Madeline May with her CCWSA goodie bag Brodie Solomon’s project on Microplastics filtration

Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority (CCWSA) participated in the 2019 Hornaday Weekend at the Woodruff Scout Camp in Blairsville, Georgia on November 9th. The scouts learned about the water and wastewater process. Along with what F.O.G means (fats, oil and grease) and the effects on the environment. Water quality in our local waterways was discussed with Georgia Adopt-A-Stream kits, a water quality sonde, automatic sampler and macroinvertebrates. “Cherokee’s Safe and Sustainable Water begins here”.

Hornaday Weekend 2019

CCWSA is proud to announce the winners of the Drinking Water Week coloring contest. Students from all over Cherokee County (homeschool, Ballground ES, Clayton ES, R.M. Moore ES, Oak Grove ES, Free Home ES, Little River ES, Holly Springs ES and Arnold Mill ES) submitted over 750 entries, which made it difficult to choose the best entry from each grade. Winners received a $10 ice cream gift card.

Water community invites consumers to ‘Protect the Source’ during Drinking Water Week

Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority (CCWSA) kicks off Drinking Water Week Sunday May 5th with an invitation to “Protect the Source” throughout the Etowah River Watershed.
CCWSA, the American Water Works Association and the water community across North America will celebrate Drinking Water Week by recognizing the vital role drinking water plays in daily lives. Focus will be placed on ways in which water consumers can take personal responsibility in caring for their tap water and protecting it at its source.
“Drinking Water Week is a special opportunity to shine a light on all of the ways we can protect our water source and ensure it is there for future generations,” said AWWA Chief Executive Officer David LaFrance. “When we, as consumers and community stewards, learn about and gain an appreciation for our drinking water sources, it becomes easy to understand the importance of protecting them.”
To commemorate the week, water utilities, water organizations, government entities, environmental advocates, schools and other stakeholders will celebrate the importance of drinking water through presentations, events and festivals to provide information on how consumers can understand and appreciate their water.

CCWSA Community Events:

CCWSA Drinking Water Week Kids coloring contest -Eligible kids are currently in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. Coloring Sheets can be downloaded from here or picked up at the CCWSA main office and R.T. Jones Library (display in children’s area). Entries must have the kids name, grade, and parent/guardian contact information on the back.  All entries must be turned in at the CCWSA main office or at the library Drinking Water Week Display by May 19th. One lucky winner will get a $10 ice cream gift card!  Click here for the coloring contest sheet

Display at R.T.Jones Library – A Drinking Water Week display will be in the children’s area from May 5th through the 12th. Go by and check it out. Coloring contest sheets can be picked up and dropped off at the display table.

Water/Wastewater Process Enviroscape presentations –  Presentations will be at the CCWSA main office conference from off the main lobby on May 6th, 8th and 10th @ 11 am and 3 pm. Contact Lori Forrester at 770-479-1813 Ext. 246 or lori.forrester@ccwsa.com to sign-up. Space is limited. Click here for the Enviroscape presentation flyer

Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority encourages getting to know local H20 during Drinking Water Week.

As Drinking Water Week continues, the CCWSA joins the American Water Works Association and water professionals across North America in encouraging water consumers to get to know their local H2O.

Finding information about local water is simple. As required by the Safe Drinking Water Act, water utilities must provide customers with an annual water quality report, also called a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). A CCR identifies the quality of local drinking water and if any contaminants are detected and if so, which ones. Also available in the report is information on a community’s local source for drinking water. The water source for Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority is the Etowah River. CCWSA’s Source Water Assessment and 2018 CCR can be found on the website under the OUR WATER tab. Additionally, information on local source water is available through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “How’s My Waterway?”.

“Drinking Water Week highlights a vital piece of our daily lives,” said AWWA Chief Executive Officer David LaFrance. “Whether your drinking water source is an aquifer, stream, lake or reservoir, we hope everyone uses Drinking Water Week as an opportunity to learn about and gain an appreciation for their drinking water source.” More information about local water sources is available on DrinkTap.org.

About Drinking Water Week
For more than 40 years, AWWA and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week, a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to join together in recognizing the vital role water plays in daily lives.

For more than 40 years, AWWA and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week, a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to join together in recognizing the vital role water plays in daily lives.

Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority (CCWSA) recognized seven Cherokee County students at the NWGA Regional Science & Engineering Fair for their excellence in the environmental field on February 2nd, 2019 at Alliance Academy for Innovation High School. The projects recognized were “The Effect of Chlorella Algae and Magnetic Nanoparticles in the Remediation of Oil Spills“ from Emily Sloan (Woodstock High School),  “Practical Applications of Phytoremediation” from Christopher Nikolav (Woodstock High School), “The Effect of Enteric Microbiota of Mealworms on the Decomposition of Polystyrene” from Lillie Grace Osborne & Mackenzie Englert (Woodstock High School), “Genetically Engineering Cyanobacteria to Express D-sup Gene for Radiation” from Jacob Tweddle (Woodstock High School), “The Effect of Variable Microbes on the Decomposition of Complex Carbohydrates for Alternative Fuel Production” from Isabel Plower (Woodstock High School) and “Which will contribute to Plant Growth? Commercial Fertilizer or a Combination of Organic Kitchen Waste” from Isabella Postel (Creekland Middle School). The students received a certificate and a gift card. CCWSA applauds the efforts of all the Cherokee County students.

Lillie Grace Osborne & Mackenzie Englert with their project “The Effect of Enteric Microbiota of Mealworms on the Decomposition of Polystyrene” Will England (CCWSA Environmental Affairs Lab Analyst) judges science fair projects at the NWGA Regional Science & Engineering Fair.