CLEAN WATER AWARDS Award Background Clean Water Awards are presented by the Illinois Water Environment (IWEA) to students whose science projects best demonstrate the application of scientific methods in their research in an area relating to our surface, underground or atmospheric water environment. By acknowledging the efforts of students conducting investigations on projects relating to our water environment, the IWEA hopes to encourage them to become interested in improving the quality of our water resources and protecting all aspects of our environment. The competition for these awards is for student projects aimed at improving the quality of life through improvement of water quality, water resources management, water protection, or water and wastewater treatment. The projects can apply these criteria, for example, by focusing on water environment problems or improving water management in schools, communities or watersheds. Both of these programs welcome contestants in theoretical and applied science as well as projects aimed at solving community water problems. The projects may focus on local, regional, National or global topics. In 1986, the IWEA joined with the Illinois Junior Academy of Science in presenting the Clean Water Awards. The aims and objectives of the Illinois Junior Academy of Science are to give students 1) some insight into the problems and methods of thinking that are peculiar to the scientist, but that are applicable to other occupations, 2) information concerning new investigations and discoveries in science, and 3) an understanding of equipment used in scientific investigations. In addition, because of the student participation in scientific investigations and the science exposition, the Academy helps fulfill several of the Illinois State Goals and Learning Standards. By presenting these awards, the IWEA intends to help accomplish the aims and objectives of the Illinois Junior Academy of Science Eligibility Seventh through twelfth grade students from member schools of the Academy qualify for the State Exposition by participating in 12 Regional competitions throughout the state. The 1000 best projects are selected for the State Exposition held at the Assembly Hall, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Campus. State Expositions have been scheduled for May 7 & 8, 2004, May 6 & 7, 2005, May 5 & 6, 2006, May 4 & 5, 2007, May 2 & 3, 2008, May 8 & 9, 2009, and May 7 & 8, 2010. Eligible projects are judged in accordance to the criteria published by the Illinois Junior Academy of Science in their Guidebook and Policy Manual. You can access the guidebook on the web page www.ijas.org. There you can also check the dates and contact information for all of the regional fairs and state competitions, the paper and project session winners each year, and much more. The guidebook also provides pertinent information for parents on their role (which we recommend they read), valuable information for the student on writing the scientific research paper, developing the oral presentation, and planning an attractive exhibit. Prizes Clean Water Award winners are honored with a Grand Prize Award to the best project in both the Senior Division (Grades 9-12) and the Junior Division (Grades 7-8) and up to five (5) Honorable Mention Awards for other outstanding projects. All winners will receive an award ribbon, certificate of commendation and a U. S. Savings Bond. Consistent with the Academy’s rules for special awards, projects involving two students are not eligible for a Clean Water Award. Further Competition In addition, the Senior Division (Grades 9-12) Clean Water Award winners are eligible to participate in an international youth award competition for water science research projects: the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP). For more information on the SJWP, go to the web link for this award elsewhere on this web site. Project Research Information Potential areas of research the student can consider include: Effects of pollutants on aquatic animals and plants. Effects of waterborne pollutants on public health. Effects of water pollutants on the physical, chemical, thermal, radiological or bacteriological quality of the water environment. Effects of pollutants on the beneficial uses of the water environment including domestic, recreational, agricultural and industrial uses. Controls and pollution prevention practices to minimize the transport of pollutants by storm waters. Improved conventional or innovative processes for wastewater treatment, sludge (biosolids) treatment and disposal. Resource recovery or reuse of nutrients from wastewater biosolids. Effects of airborne pollutants on the water environment. In addition, the Internet can provide some ideas for experiments. The USEPA's Office of Water web site for kids www.epa.gov/ow/kids.html and the Water Environment Federation’s web site for students http://www.wef.org/wefstudents can provide information and links to other sites to help the student. Winning Projects Winning Clean Water Award projects have investigated: Effects of toxic chemicals on fresh water animals. PCB and DDT bioaccumulations in benthic organisms. Methods of decontaminating PCB sediments from river harbors. Effect of a sewage treatment plant on the chemical attributes of a stream. Environmental effects of atrazine. Reaction kinetics of bacteria oxidizing ammonia in a biofilter. Effects of sewage treatment plant discharges on receiving stream macroinvertebrates. Effects of strip mining on surface water quality. Whether carbon enhanced conservation buffer strips can protect water quality from agrichemical runoff. Effects of acid rain on lake water quality. Bioremediation of hydrocarbons from petroleum spills. Effect of oil spills on plant growth. Use of zebra mussels and hydroponic wheat to treat swine waste. Phytoremedial technologies to remediate contaminated waters. Effects of organic, synthetic and aquarium formulated fertilizers on the growth of unbranched, filamentous algae. Science teachers at Illinois Junior Academy of Science member schools can help the interested student develop their project. Also, IWEA members are available to help students with Science Exposition projects, provide information on career opportunities in water resource fields, and answer questions relating to water pollution prevention and protection of our water resources. Should you wish assistance, contact your city's wastewater treatment plant or an IWEA member. The IWEA’s executive committee members and committee chairpersons referenced elsewhere in this web site would be willing to help you by answering your questions or referring you to potential areas of research and other resources readily available. Remember that winning science projects require appropriate planning, careful design, and sufficient time for the student to scientifically analyze the results. Consequently, requests for help should be made well in advance of the Science Exposition date.