(Lawrenceville, Ga., February 4, 2016) —  Colton Woodring, a seventh-grade student at North Gwinnett Middle School, was recognized January 19 by the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners for his winning essay on preventing stormwater pollution.  The contest, sponsored by the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (Metro Water District), challenged thousands of middle school students to think about the conservation and protection of water resources in metro Atlanta.  The winners were announced at an awards ceremony at the Georgia state Capitol in December.

This year’s contest focused on stormwater pollution, asking “Why is stormwater pollution a problem, and what can you do to prevent it?” Nearly 2,000 students from across the region submitted essays in response.  Colton’s first-place essay, titled “Where is My Stormwater?” looks at ways everyone can contribute to keeping our water clean. 

“We are very proud to have the winning essay writer come from Gwinnett County,” said Heather Moody, Public Education and Outreach Specialist at Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources.  “Seeing the young people in our community learning about and sharing information on our water resources is very fulfilling.”

Gwinnett County is one of the 15 metro counties that comprise the Metro Water District.  The essay contest is one of many initiatives conducted by the Metro Water District to raise awareness about conservation efforts and preservation of water quality in metro Atlanta. Visit www.DWRconserve.com to learn more about water conservation in Gwinnett.