WEF, IWA Celebrate World Water Day by Announcing Winners of Second Annual World Water Monitoring Day™ Awards

Recognized in two categories, winners participated in the 2010 monitoring period

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --  In celebration of World Water Day 2011, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the International Water Association (IWA) proudly announce the winners of the second annual World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) Awards. Today also marks the start of the program's 2011 monitoring period that will run through December 31, 2011.

Initiated last year, the WWMD Awards Program recognizes program participants for outstanding achievement in boosting awareness of water quality issues. Featuring two types of awards—Water Champion: Making a Difference and WWMD Superlatives— the winners of the first type were chosen by a subcommittee of the WWMD regional panel of judges, which is composed of water industry professionals from around the world.

Water Champion awards recognize superior levels of relevance, educational effort, support, and innovation in the promotion of water quality through the WWMD program. The 2010 winners, announced today, include:

Africa

Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Group, Zimbabwe) and Neakoh Mengyi (Individual, Cameroon)

Asia

SMK TELOI KANAN Nature Club (Group, Malaysia) and National Environmental Education and Research Foundation (Group Runner-up, India)

Australia/Oceania

Seqwater/SEQ Water Grid (Group, Australia)

Europe

Escola Secundaria de Vilela (Group, Portugal) and Igor Prokofyev (Individual, Russia)

North America

Cedarbrook Middle School (Group, United States) and Kathy Reynolds (Individual, United States)

South America

GTZ/PROAPAC (Group, Bolivia) and ENO Brazil (Group Runner-up, Brazil)

Award recipients will receive a commemorative plaque and WWMD materials of their choosing up to a value of US $1,000 for groups and US $750 for individuals and group runners-up. Items selected may include any combination of water monitoring equipment, relevant resources, or promotional materials. Winners of the WWMD Superlatives may be viewed on the program's Web site.

Coordinated by WEF and IWA, WWMD is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world. The annual program connects citizens with their local water bodies through a series of simple, hands-on monitoring tests. Officially observed each year on September 18, over 200,000 people on six continents participated in last year's program. The program receives financial and in-kind support from the primary sponsors including the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PerkinElmer, ITT Corporation, Sinclair Knight Merz and Smithfield Foods.

For more details about the WWMD award winners and how to participate in WWMD 2011, please visit www.WorldWaterMonitoringDay.org. For more details about World Water Day and this year's commemorative activities, please visit www.WorldWaterDay.org.

About WEF

Formed in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with 36,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. WEF and its Member Associations proudly work to achieve our mission of preserving and enhancing the global water environment. www.wef.org

About IWA

The International Water Association (IWA) is a global network of water professionals that spans the continuum between research and practice, covering all facets of the water cycle. IWA membership comprises 10,000 individuals and 400 corporate members, working in 130 countries.  The Association seeks to connect water professionals worldwide to lead the development of effective and sustainable approaches to water management. www.iwahq.org

SOURCE Water Environment Federation