ILLINOIS WATER ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
Volume 26, No. 2 - Summer 2005

Hot off the press and just received, Daria Zelasko, the 2005 Illinois Stockholm Junior Water Prize winner, is one of the three finalists at the National SJWP competition in Portland, Oregon, June 16-18. Her research project is one of the top 3 from the 46 state SJWP winners at the national competition. The Grand Prize Award was presented to a student from Oregon. For more information visit www.StockholmJuniorWaterPrize.org.

Daria's project: "Benevolent Bacteria: Indige-nous Bacterial Remediation" culminated a three year study of the use of naturally occurring microbes to degrade or transform water contaminants into nontoxic forms. Each year, based on observed effects during her experimentation and a review of recent research in the field, she refined and further developed her study to explore alternatives and methodologies that would make these indigenous microbes more effective.

This year's research explored whether the use of a genetically modified transformation of microbes would further reduce the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in water at a location in Salt Creek in DuPage County. Daria presented her paper at a technical session at this year's Rockford Conference where all of you had the opportunity to learn from and meet this aspiring young scientist.

For being selected one of the three U.S. finalists, Daria was awarded $500. Her school, Guerin College Preparatory High School, River Grove, received a $1,000 grant to enhance water environment education. These awards were provided through the support of the U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development. Our Association provided travel expenses to the competition for Daria and her school sponsor, Julie Zawilinski. The Water Environment Federation, with support from ITT Industries and the Coca-Cola Company, provided all local arrangements.

Congratulations Daria! The Association is proud of you! We wish you continued success as you pursue your higher education goals.