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One Water Student Video Contest

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Student Video Contest Film Strip

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

Announcing the

2025 ONE WATER STUDENT VIDEO CONTEST

"Make a Choice, Be a Voice for our Water!"

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
Speaking up about and preventing stormwater pollution and water waste.

The Annual One Water Student Video Contest is open to 6^th – 12 graders in schools within the city limits of Bend. This year’s contest will focus on the critical issues of “illicit discharge or dumping” in our storm drains and “water waste” such as overwatering of landscapes. The contest aims to raise awareness that only rainwater should go down stormwater catch basin inlets in streets and parking lots. Disposing of trash, chemicals, oil, construction waste or wastewater into stormwater drains is illegal and can pollute the river and groundwater. seal

Wasteful practices of watering sidewalks, driveways, or streets, and irrigating during city code restricted times are also city code violations. Help us spread the word about the impacts of illicit discharges and water waste and how to report it.

Read on to learn more about the contest. You could be the next Grand Prize Winner and receive a $1,000 check and work with a television producer to adapt your video for use as a TV public service announcement.

Three cheers for...

"Make a Choice, Be a Voice for our Water!"

Submit Videos by April 30, 2025, 5 p.m.

GRAND PRIZE: $1000

Plus, professional reproduction of video to air on local TV working with Emmy Awarding winning, Joe Dean, Creative Director at Central Oregon Daily.
Film screened at BendFilm Future Filmmaker event.
Entrance into Future Filmmaker awards
Film/Commercial featured on social media.

DIVISION WINNERS:

9th - 12th Grade Prize: $100
6th - 8th Grade: $100

Film screened at BendFilm Future Filmmaker event.
Entrance into Future Filmmaker awards
Film/Commercial featured on social media.

ATTENTION TEACHERS:

Inspiring teachers win too! Teachers of winning students will be awarded $150 (Grand Prize)
or $50 (Division Winners) for school supplies in your classroom.

THEME/TITLE:

"Make a Choice, Be a Voice for our Water!"

FOCUS:

Everyday actions can impact our surface and groundwater resources, and every person can make the choice to prevent and help stop pollution and water waste.

CONTENT IDEAS TO CONSIDER:

Only rainwater should go down stormwater catch basin inlets in streets and parking lots. Anything that goes down these drains travels directly to the Deschutes River or into the groundwater.
Preventing illicit discharges is important to the health of the river and groundwater. An illicit discharge is any substance that enters a storm drain that is not clean rainwater runoff.
- Some examples include motor oil, paint, household cleaners, grease, sediment, fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, construction waste and septic/sewage waste.
How to spot an illicit discharge: Staining around catch basin, staining on catch basins, odd smells inside or around catch basin, dry weather flow, or hoses or pipes that are discharging into the street. For more examples see: Report A Spill | City of Bend (bendoregon.gov).
If you see an illicit discharge, you can report it to the City of Bend at 541-317-3000, ext. 2.
Irrigation water or overspray that leaves the yard and runs down the street is wasted water. It may also pick up and carry soil, garbage and pollution down to storm drains that go straight to either the river or deep into the ground where it may pollute groundwaters.
If you see water waste, you can report it to the City of Bend online at: Online Permit Center | City of Bend (bendoregon.gov).
Encourage citizens to do their part: "Only clean rainwater in the storm drains and don’t waste water."