ACWA Presents Communications Award to San Diego's Department of Public Utilities

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - Dec 4, 2013) - The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today presented its Huell Howser Best in Blue Award to the City of San Diego for its multi-faceted public outreach campaign on a new Water Purification Demonstration Project.

The award was presented during the annual ACWA Fall Conference & Exhibition, where more than 1,600 local water officials are gathered through Friday for programs and panel discussions on a variety of key water issues. The City of San Diego's Department of Public Utilities, Water and Wastewater was among six finalists for the award, which honors stellar communications and outreach programs developed and run by California water agencies.

"The City of San Diego's public outreach campaign is an excellent example of a local agency getting results through an effective outreach and education campaign," ACWA President Randy Record said. "The city's public education efforts on its new Water Purification Demonstration Project actively engaged San Diego residents, explained the state-of-the-art technology and science behind water purification and moved the needle on public acceptance."

Other finalists for this year's award were:

• The Santa Clara Valley Water District for its People Behind Your Water campaign, a public education campaign aimed at increasing agency transparency;
• Eastern Municipal Water District for its Metal Theft Awareness Program;
• The Zone 7 Water Agency for its Water Jug Pyramid Display, which offered a visual representation of the average daily household water use by displaying 144 one-gallon plastic water jugs;
• Ventura Water for its Water: Take 1 short film contest promoting water conservation; and
• Irvine Ranch Water District for its Always Water Smart media campaign promoting proper outdoor water irrigation and water efficient landscape.

ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 440 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com.