(Lawrenceville, Ga., June 21, 2017) — Since 2011, the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources (DWR) has taught almost 40,000 students to be water detectives, conservationists, and scientists as part of its Water on Wheels program.

The classroom-based program uses DWR staff to teach elementary- and middle-school students about conserving and protecting our most precious resource, water.

“DWR is proud of our commitment to educating young people about the importance of conserving and protecting water in Gwinnett,” Water Resources Assistant Director Tyler Richards said. “We are fortunate to have such a great connection to the Gwinnett County Public School system and look forward to continuing and expanding our education programs.”

In the first full year of the program, DWR staff taught approximately 3,000 students. Since then, program participation has increased to 10,900 students this year. During the 2016-2017 school year, DWR traveled to more than half of all elementary schools in Gwinnett County to lead hands-on activities that tie students’ existing science lessons on water to real world environmental applications.

Classes include teaching first-graders the water cycle, while third-graders learn how aquatic life provides clues to water quality. Fourth-graders explore weather patterns and how animals adapt to drought conditions. Sixth-graders study water conservation practices and issues, such as how to build a filtration system and about water use worldwide.

For more information about the Water on Wheels programs, email DWRschools@gwinnettcounty.com.

The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources is a publicly-owned utility, committed to providing excellent water, wastewater, and stormwater services at the best possible value to residents and businesses. DWR is widely recognized for innovation and service excellence, as well as stewardship of the environmental resources in Gwinnett County.   For more information, visit www.gwinnettH2O.com.