Contact: Ruth Kline-Robach, MSU-WATER, (517) 355-0224, kliner@msu.edu; or Tom Oswald, University Relations, (517) 355-2281, oswald@msu.edu

4/19/2004

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Students from Michigan State University and the Lansing School District are teeming up in an effort to increase awareness of mid-Michigan’s water resources.

The MSU undergraduate students, part of a project known as MSU-WATER (Watershed Action Through Education and Research), are serving as “storm water mentors” to the elementary students, visiting schools and presenting information about watersheds, storm water management and other topics.

On Wednesday, April 21, a number of school children will come to the MSU campus to paint trash barrels with pictures and messages about the importance of keeping the Red Cedar River clean. The barrels will then be placed along the river – which flows through the MSU campus – during home football games in the fall.

“One of the main objectives of MSU-WATER is to increase awareness among students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus about how our actions can impact water quality,” said Ruth Kline-Robach, co-coordinator of the project. “This project gives our undergraduate students the opportunity to mentor school children about the importance of protecting our water resources.”

The barrel-painting event will be from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the grounds maintenance department, located at the corner of Wilson and Stadium roads on the MSU campus.

Established in 2000, MSU-WATER uses the Red Cedar River as a “living laboratory” in an effort to identify and solve pollution problems that plague Michigan’s rivers. Involving faculty, staff and students from several MSU colleges, the project studies the types and sources of contamination, determines ways to prevent or solve the problems, and works with communities along the Red Cedar watershed to help them wrestle with pollutions problems of their own.

For more information MSU-WATER, visit the Web at www.msu-water.msu.edu