NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 1998

CARY TO CELEBRATE
NATIONAL DRINKING WATER WEEK

CARY, NC -- The Town of Cary will join the nation in celebrating one of our most precious resources during National Drinking Water Week, May 3-9. Drinking Water Week is an educational campaign aimed at helping people understand what it takes to ensure safe drinking water. This year’s theme is "Ride the Water Cycle", with a key component of the campaign being to show how individuals can affect the quantity and quality of the water they drink.

"Providing safe drinking water is everyone’s business," said Kim Fisher, Director of Department of Public Works and Utilities. "Issues such as conservation, source water protection, and increased regulations make drinking water an important public concern."

Town of Cary Drinking Water Week activities will directly involve children and adults in learning about conservation and water treatment. Specific plans include:

• Cary’s Town Hall Tour, May 2: tours of the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Plant, displays on water protection and conservation, water-wise landscaping demonstrations, promotion of Block Leader Program;
  
• City of Raleigh’s Waterfest, May 6-8: developed for Wake County Schools (grades K-8 I think);
  
• Donation of copies of the book "Plain Talk About Drinking Water" to Cary and Apex libraries, and to area middle and high schools (Apex Middle, Davis Drive Middle, East Cary Middle, West Cary Middle, West Lake Middle, Apex High, Athens Drive High, Cary High, and Cary Academy)

As part of their public awareness campaign, Cary officials want to remind citizens that only one percent of all the water on Earth can be used for drinking. That is why conserving water is important. To make the best use of water, Cary officials advise you to:

• Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth or shave
• Repair leaky faucets and toilets as soon as possible
• Water your lawn early in the morning when there’s less evaporation and wind
• Use recycled paper, which uses less water to make

 

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PRIMARY CONTACTS: Jennifer Platt, Water Conservationist, 462-3872
Bill Coleman, Town Manager, 469-4002
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, 460-4951