In a joint partnership, the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) and the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association – Region VII (AWWA) not only work toward sustaining our limited natural resources for tomorrow, but also to ensure there are future engineers in the field who remain in South Florida to champion the challenges the region will one day face.
In an effort to educate the area’s students about the engineering field, the two groups have hosted the Model Water Tower Competition for the last eight years.
“It’s never too early to attract the area’s best and brightest to the Water industry,” said WASD Director Lester Sola. “Today’s students will be tomorrow’s leaders and problem solvers. If this year’s event is any indication as to the level of talent and creativity these students demonstrate, then we should be in good hands in the years to come.”
The event held on Dec. 3rd at WASD’s Alexander Orr, Jr. Water Treatment Plant, had 10 towers representing three high schools and this year the competition fielded its first middle school entry.
Towers were scored and judged on categories such as cost efficiency, hydraulic efficiency, structural efficiency, and design ingenuity. Students were required to design and build a water tower with specific size and height requirements. This project allows students to employ not only critical thinking skills, but to be creative, as well.
Once the score sheets were tallied, it was a clean sweep for Coral Park High whose teams claimed first, second and third place for the high school level. Other schools who participated were TERRA High and Jose Marti 6-12 MAST Academy. The winning teams won $300, $200 and $100 respectively.
Palmetto Middle School took home first place and $300 for the Middle School category.
It is the priority of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department to provide safe, reliable service to its customers. For additional information about Department services and programs, visit www.miamidade.gov/water.
