MISSOULA, MT, Oct. 25, 2012 -- Mountain Water Company put into action the Water Wagon, a 150-gallon portable drinking water tank, at the Kids River Expo held at McCormick Park on Sept. 28. The Expo educates sixth grade students on the value of water and many other local watershed and natural resource issues. Mountain Water remains a strong supporter of water related outreach and education to help people of all ages to identify local water related issues, such as protecting water resources.
"Watershed health and aquifer protection has been a longstanding focus for us," said John Kappes, president of Mountain Water. "Clean rivers give us clean aquifers. As a utility, our job is to foster a safe, reliable source of water. Partnering with members of the community to educate our neighbors, especially kids, is critical."
Originally known as the Missoula Watershed Festival, the Clark Fork Coalition reformatted the full-day exploratory field science and watershed event. Students also participated in the "Kids Cleanup" along the Clark Fork River picking up trash along the riverbanks.
"Children are stakeholders in Missoula's water and this event is dedicated to engaging students in a wide spectrum of local watershed and natural resource issues to help ensure a healthy, clean future for our rivers and communities", said Karen Knudsen, executive director of the Clark Fork Coalition.
Other community sponsors of the Kids River Expo include the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, Plum Creek Timber, REI, and the Captain Planet.
Kappes also pointed out that the company's Water Wagon has another critical function. "The Water Wagon provides community access to emergency drinking water," said Kappes. "Recently, a daycare was able to stay open due to the Wagon, using nearly 350 gallons of water."
About Mountain Water Company
Mountain Water Company provides quality tap water, irrigation, and fire flow to 65,000 residents in Missoula through 37 wells, 45 booster stations, 24 storage facilities with a capacity of over 9.4 million gallons, 300 miles of main and over 24,000 service lines. Additional information may be found by visiting mtnwater.com.
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