In honor of World Water Day, Nestlé Waters’ Macon County Bottling Facility ramped up its annual celebration of the international holiday with two days of activities highlighting its commitment to water education and clean and healthy watersheds in Macon County. World Water Day is held annually as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

On March 21, Senior Natural Resource Specialist Lance Tully and Project Resource Director Paula Coe presented Project WET water education kits to 50 fifth grade students at Red Boiling Springs School. Water education kits were also donated to fifth grade students at Westside Elementary in Westmoreland, Tenn. In total, nearly 120 kits were donated to local 5th graders students for World Water Day.

Tully and Coe also answered questions from the students about the importance of water conservation and recycling as well as how Nestlé Waters operates its Macon County bottling facility. Later in the day, Tully, Coe, and other members of Nestlé Waters’ staff hosted two groups of high school students who came to the plant facility for a tour. The groups consisted of nearly 40 juniors and seniors from Macon County High School and the Red Boiling Springs High School Envirothon Team.

In addition, on March 22, World Water Day, plant staff and local volunteers performed a watershed cleanup of Salt Lick Creek in Red Boiling Springs starting at the historic Donoho Hotel and extending over a mile and a half downstream. An estimated 20 cubic yards of trash, tires, wood, and other materials were removed from the stream channel and along the banks of the stream during the event. The approximately 40 volunteers included members from Nestlé Waters, North Central Telephone Cooperative, the Cities of Red Boiling Springs and Lafayette, and students from Macon County High School and the Red Boiling Springs Interact Club.

“Nestlé Waters believes that clean, high-quality water is essential to human and environmental health, and for the well-being of communities. Stream cleanups like these help promote that,” said Tully.

Added Coe who coordinated the event, “We’re excited and appreciative of the support of partners, students and leaders in Macon County who helped with this event and look forward to partnering on future watershed improvement projects.”