Authority Honors Regional Science Fair Projects

ROANOKE, VA—The Western Virginia Water Authority bestowed prizes to five students at the Western Virginia Regional Science Fair on Saturday, March 19. The Western Virginia Water Authority specialty awards recognized outstanding projects in the areas of water quality protection, water treatment, water conservation and/or water distribution. Water Authority employees Mr. Scott Shirley, manager of the Roanoke Regional Water Pollution Control Plant, and Ms. Carol Davit, environmental communications coordinator, served as judges for these awards. The winners are as follows:

First Place Winner of $100 Prize:
Ms. Christa Motley
Patrick Henry High School/Roanoke Valley Governor's School
Project: A Continuing Search for Effective Methods of Environmental Mercury Decontamination

Two Second Place Winners of $75 Prizes:
Ms. Kirstyn Knox
Patrick Henry High School/Roanoke Valley Governor's School
Project: Analysis of E. coli Contamination in Water Samples: Polymerase Chain Reaction vs. Petrifilm

Mr. Matthew Higgs
James Madison Middle School
Project: The Effect of Various Grey Water Solutions on Plants' Growth

Third Place Winners of $50 Prize:
Ms. Bethany Durham and Ms. Victoria Oswald
Hidden Valley High School
Project: Bacteria in Mudlick Creek: Tracking of E. coli and Enterococcus Species

The Western Virginia Water Authority is pleased to have participated in the regional science fair in its first year of operation and plans to offer the specialty awards annually. The Water Authority congratulations these winners and all students for the hard work they invested in their projects.