Welcome

Feel free to shoot us an email with any questions or feedback at info@wfepa.org

Thank you!

This just in...

 

District Releases Drinking Water Quiz Results

What is the primary source of drinking water in Northwest Arkansas?

Of the 83 people who took part in Beaver Water District's web-based drinking water quiz, 98 % knew Beaver Lake fills that need for Northwest Arkansas. Another 81% knew that turbidity means cloudiness in water, and 97% were knowledgeable that a watershed is land that drains to a common area.

However, less than 50% got it right that sediment is the primary pollutant threatening water quality in the West Fork, while 20% guessed pesticide and 23% chose sewage.

“This is information we can use to fine-tune our education message,” said Amy Wilson, Director of Public Affairs for Beaver Water District. “When you know where the knowledge gap exists, you can target your messages to address those gaps.”

The Drinking Water Quiz, denoted by a water faucet logo, is one component of the District's new public awareness campaign. “Consume, Conserve, Connect—Connecting today's actions with tomorrow's planet” is the campaign's tagline. The effort kicked off May 4 during national Drinking Water Week. Other aspects of the campaign include a dedicated webpage, advertisements in local newspapers, television advertising, and public service announcements on the local public radio station.

Cities represented among quiz takers included Fayetteville, Rogers, West Fork, Springdale, Bentonville, Lowell, Elkins, Winslow, Pea Ridge, Farmington, Green Forest, Avoca, and Bella Vista.

One question about point source pollution revealed confusion about what the term means. While 78% of the respondents understood that a point source might be a pipe dumping chemicals, some respondents thought that runoff from roads could be a point source (6%), while another 16% said pesticides from chemicals could be a point source. Runoff from roads and pesticides from chemicals are examples of non-point source pollution.

“I understand how people may be confused about some of these terms,” Wilson said. “That's why we are working hard to maximize our resources in the education arena and to do a more effective job talking with the public about what these terms mean and why they should care. We want people to value Beaver Lake and join with us in protecting this great resource.”

While the quiz continues to run on the website at www.bwdh2o.org , the drawing for prizes has been completed. Ten names were drawn and those individuals will be receiving prizes in the mail in the next few days.

“We've mailed winners our Consume, Conserve, Connect notebooks with pens, reusable Consume, Conserve, Connect water bottles, and water conservation wheels,” Wilson said. “In addition, the grand prize winner also is receiving a Beaver puppet like the one used in the Beaver Water District's Adventures in Your Watershed Education Program for area schools.”

Beaver Water District supplies drinking water to more than 250,000 people and industries in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and surrounding areas. The District's mission is to serve our customers in the Benton and Washington County area by providing high quality drinking water that meets or exceeds all federal and state regulatory requirements in such quantities as meets their demands and is economically priced consistent with our quality standards.  For more information, visit www.bwdh2o.org.

Amy Wilson
Director of Public Affairs, Beaver Water District
P.O. Box 400, Lowell, AR  72745
479-756-3651/awilson@bwdh2o.org
www.bwdh2o.org

 

 

QUESTIONS?
Contact Frances Hime at 479.225.1611

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Volunteers for the recycling center are needed throughout the summer.  Email Patty Baker at pattybaker@cox.net or give her a call at 839-2924 to volunteer.  You will be glad you did!

Subscribe to the Active Citizen's Email Newsletter by sending an email to pattybaker@cox.net

 

The West Fork Environmental Protection Association is a 501(c)3 organization and is not affiliated with the Environmental Protection Agency or any other government agency. This website and all contents are ©2008 West Fork EPA or their respective copyright holders. WFEPA has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, but does not warrant it to be free from error.