Representatives of Aquarion Water Company shared information about water with Reed Intermediate School sixth grade students on March 6. The event kicked off a lesson on local water.

Handouts from Earth Force, an international nonprofit that engages youth as environmental problem-solvers, were shared with the presentation. Ingersoll Auto of Danbury sponsored the presentations, and the Pootatuck Watershed Association, Newtown Forest Association, Town of Newtown, Trout Unlimited, and the Pootatuck Club also supported the program, according to Aquarion's Director of Procurement Randy Walker. Aquarion's Associate Director of Environmental Management George S. Logan, and Program Director Twig Holland also spoke during the presentation. Mr Logan explained to the students that he is also a state senator.

The presentation in Erica Michaels and Todd Stentiford's sixth grade cluster was the first of many throughout the school. According to Ms Michaels, the presentation was shared for other clusters, but for students in Mr Stentiford and Ms Michael's cluster it was only the start of studying the water cycle. In a few weeks Ms Michaels said her cluster's students will make the annual trek outside to study Deep Brook, located near the school. Reed's Math/Science Specialist Jessica Fonovic arranged the presentations for all of the clusters.

"Things we do in Newtown impact the stream, impact the water we drink," said Mr Walker.

Mr Walker said people generally do not understand water quality and how to be "water stewards."

"We're here because we need your help," Mr Walker said before asking the students to be water stewards, to lead in helping to take better care water.

Mr Walker explained that rain is the only source of renewable water, and Ms Holland spoke about ways of conserving water when there is less rainfall than normal.

The Stentiford and Michaels cluster also created an experimental repurposed fish tank for students to monitor how the water cycle works.