News

Home / News

KC Water Receives NACWA National Environmental Achievement Award

Posted on February 20, 2018

(Kansas City, Mo.) – KC Water recently received a National Environmental Achievement Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA).

NACWA honored KC Water for its video Don’t Flush The Wipes: A Horror Story.” The 63-second video was produced to raise public awareness about why disposable wipes should be placed in the trashcan, not the toilet.

“I’m proud of this outreach project. The video uses humor to illustrate the serious issue of disposable wipes,” said Terry Leeds, KC Water Director. “Just because the packaging may say flushable it does not mean the wipes are bio-degradable. When wipes don’t break down, they can clog a sewer line and cause backups into homes.”

Sharing this video on KC Water’s multiple social media channels was a resounding success and received praise from other utilities and organizations from across the nation. Results included:

  • More than 24,000 Twitter impressions
  • 9,700 views on Facebook
  • 186 shares on Facebook
  • More than 400 views on YouTube
  • 81 views on Instagram
  • Inclusion in The City of Kansas City, Missouri’s City Communications media channels, including governmental Channel 2 (appears on several area cable networks and online)

Disposable wipes aren’t just a Kansas City issue. In 2017, the Council of the District of Columbia passed the Nonwoven Disposable Products Act of 2016. It’s the first legislation in the U.S. to address the problems caused by flushable and non-flushable wipes. NACWA is now working with other groups to establish “flushability” standards for flushable wipes and labeling requirements for non-flushable wipes.

For more information, please contact Brooke Givens, Media Relations Coordinator, at brooke.givens@kcmo.org or 816.513.0284.

### 

KC Water maintains and operates water treatment and distribution systems, stormwater management systems, and wastewater collection and treatment systems for residential and business customers in Kansas City and for wholesale customers in the Kansas City area. KC Water is primarily funded by fees charged to customers based on their use or impacts on the three utility systems.

Follow KC Water: WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTubeInstagram • NextDoor