World Water Week is upon us! Every year since 1991, scientists, environmentalists, and policymakers gather in Stockholm during the last week of August to tackle the world’s most pressing water-related challenges. This year’s theme, “Seeing the Unseen: The Value of Water,” offers a fantastic reminder to appreciate and protect the unseen systems that sustain this most precious resource.

While we typically like to keep our sewer systems out of sight and out of mind, World Water Week provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on the work that goes into keeping wastewater flowing safely to treatment
facilities so it can be cleaned and released back into the environment.

We can all do our part to “See the Unseen” and safeguard our water. Look for our MetroConnects crews throughout Greenville County as they work hard to protect your pipes and keep our ecosystems safe, healthy, and clean!

You can also participate in World Water Week at home! Here are 5 simple and fun ways to celebrate and be part of the solution.

1. Watch World Water Week Online  If you want to get into the nitty-gritty of the conference, you can stream online sessions from the comfort of your couch. Visit World Water Week to register. Updates and other information are also available online.

2. Develop Good Sanitation Habits Do you know what can safely go down our drains and into our sewers? Remember, what goes in, must come out! Keep your pipes clear and our waters clean with some simple sanitation practices. Print out these graphics to teach our youngest water stewards how to protect your pipes!
     

3. Test Your Knowledge How much do you know about keeping your sewer system safe? Visit MetroConnects.org and take our quiz!

4. Keep a Water Diary A great activity for kids! Track your water and wastewater use in a diary. Time it when you turn on a tap, take note of what goes down the drain and through the garbage disposal, and track every time you flush. How much water do you use and wastewater do you produce? Are you sending items down the drain that might plug up your pumps?

5. Visit Roper Mountain Science Center Learn more about the water cycle and the role that wastewater collection and recycling play in keeping our ecosystem healthy and clean at Roper Mountain Science Center’s Our Water Story exhibit.