EPA Opens Water Quality Video Contest

The contest will run from now until Earth Day, April 22, 2009. The two winners will each receive $2,500 and their videos will be featured on the EPA's website.

EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds has launched the video contest to engage the public on water quality issues and to inspire stewardship for U.S. waters.

Waterworks Gardens in Kent, Washington is an environmental artwork that treats stormwater, enhances a wetland, provides garden rooms and creates eight acres of new open space for public use. (Photo courtesy City of Kent)

The winning videos will help educate the public about water pollution and simple steps that individuals and communities can take to improve and protect water quality.

"Although there have been great improvements to our nation's waters over the years thanks to the Clean Water Act, there is still a massive problem resulting from human activities on the land," the EPA says. "This contest will help get the word out about the remaining challenges facing the nation's waters and how people and communities can help make a difference."

Videos will be judged by a panel of experts on the basis of creativity and originality, quality, technical accuracy, and content of the message.

Two winners will be chosen - one for a short, 30 or 60 second video that can be used as a public service announcement - and another for a longer one to three minute video. Submissions that do not fall within either of these time categories will not be judged.

The EPA suggests possible video topics that include:

• Low impact development techniques to reduce urban runoff such as rain gardens, bioswales, disconnected downspouts, rain barrels, porous pavements, and rooftop gardens


• Benefits of wetlands and how to get people involved in wetland preservation


• Actions that reduce the number of waste items such as plastic bags and food containers that enter streams and rivers, are carried to the oceans and become marine debris


• Watershed, stream, and beach cleanups, and storm drain marking projects that can help reduce marine debris


• Actions that people and communities can take to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff from agriculture, lawns and golf courses, highways, and suburban areas


• What is a watershed and why should you care?


• The role of science in water quality and environmental stewardship to observe 2009 as the Year of Science

Since all EPA mail is irradiated, videos must either be submitted via YouTube or sent using an overnight courier. EPA will not be responsible for videos if they are lost or destroyed.

For more information on the video contest visit: www.epa.gov/owow/videocontest.html

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