Rain Bird names winners of the Intelligent Use of Water Awards program

Rain Bird announced the winners of its 2010-2011 Intelligent Use of Water Awards, as determined by online voting over a four-month period by visitors to the competition website, www.IUOWAwards.com.

Over 275,000 total votes were cast for 85 different water conservation projects that will support sustainability and green spaces. When voting officially closed on March 15th and votes were verified, 10 winners claimed over $50,000 in funds. Four $1,500 winners, three $5,000 winners and three $10,000 winners were named.

Participants of the Intelligent Use of Water Awards program were asked to enter their projects on www.IUOWAwards.com in order to vie for enough public support to be awarded the grant. The social media-driven program was designed to support environmentally sustainable projects that promote green spaces through the efficient use of water. Voters were invited to anonymously cast votes on their favorite projects daily until voting closed.

The 2010-2011 Intelligent Use of Water Awards winners are:

$1,500 Winners

1. Forestry Nursery, Nkambe, Cameroon, Africa
2. Water Harvesting Facility, University of Montevallo, Alabama
3. Green Spaces Pollution Prevention, Fallbrook Public Utility District, Fallbrook, California
4. Composting Toilets, Easton, Pennsylvania

$5,000 Winners

1. Community Garden and Open Classroom, EARTHS Elementary School, Thousand Oaks, California
2. Rain Garden, Reiman Gardens, Ames, Iowa
3. Rain Garden, Friends of Lower Muskingum River, Marietta, Ohio

$10,000 Winners

1. Water Education at Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island Groundwater Guardians, Grand Island, Nebraska
2. Sanitation and Reusable Water to Ugandan Schools, Drop in the Bucket, Uganda, Africa
3. Irrigation System, Amazing Heart Farm, Orrtanna, Pennsylvania

“The Intelligent Use of Water Awards program really broadened the reach of how Rain Bird can effectively impact those who are improving their local communities with water conservation and the preservation of green spaces,” said Dave Johnson, Rain Bird’s director of corporate marketing. “It is exciting to know that projects close to home and also water conservation efforts across the globe can benefit and maintain the important work they do for their local communities.”

More information about the winners can be found at www.IUOWAwards.com.