Adams Township and Mars in Butler County and Carbon County were recognized for their efforts to protect groundwater supplies through groundwater education by the Groundwater Foundation.

Each community received the Groundwater Guardian Community award.

This is the ninth year that the borough and the township achieved this distinction. In 2005, Adams Township and Mars trained high school students to use global positioning system units to conduct stream monitoring as part of a broader program of examining potential water contamination and identifying ways to prevent it.

The township and the borough are among 147 communities from 33 states and one Canadian province that will be recognized at the National Groundwater Guardian Designation Celebration from November 2-4 in Nebraska City, Neb.

This is the sixth consecutive year that the Carbon County achieved the distinction. In 2005, Carbon County Groundwater Guardians provided water-testing supplies to all county high school for students to test their own drinking water for Total Coliform and E. coli contamination. In addition, a Community Groundwater Awareness Day was held for all county children.

The Groundwater Foundation is a nonprofit organization that educates the public about the importance of protecting groundwater.

For information, call 800-858-4844, e-mail guardian@groundwater.org or visit the Foundation's website.

10/28/2005