Reclaiming Our Water The Occoquan River Watershed

Reclaiming Our Water

The Occoquan River Watershed

World Premiere

6:00 p.m on Tuesday, March 19, 2003

for the DC Environmental Film Festival 

at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C. 

Located at thecorner of 12th and H Streets (one block from Metro Center) 

free admission 

www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org

Additional showings include: 

1. Town of Occoquan premiere: Saturday evening, March 22 Rockledge Mansion

Call Occoquan Town Hall at (703) 4915064 for details.

2. State Theatre: 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 25 220 North Washington Street Falls Church, VA

Includes live performances by musical groups in the film. $5 admission

Dinner, bar or theater seating available during showing

For further information or to arrange additional showings, Call Dave Eckert at (703) 5320884.

The Occoquan River in Northern Virginia serves the drinking water supply for over one million people. It is the only watercourse in the United States that uses treated sewage wastewater as its principal supply of water during drought periods and as its constant source throughout the year. The water is reclaimed and then recycled through its reservoir and treated a second time at a stateoftheart drinking treatment plant. While other regions suffered through the recent worst drought in recorded history, the Occoquan had a constant supply of drinking water. This documentary provides background for this unique story that is likely to be repeated throughout our rapidly overpopulating world. And the story of providing clean water is still unfolding as the watershed is further deforested, paved, and developed. Narrated by NPR's Frank Stasio. Produced by Dave Eckert. Director of Photography Michael Hamilton. Musical score by Jamey Turner, Andrew Acosta, and the United Gospel Singers.

Showings are sponsored by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission.

Film Sponsors include: 

Fairfax County Water Authority

Upper Occoquan Sewage Authoritv 

Prince William Countv Government. 

Town of Occoquan

Prince William Conservation Alliance

Audobon Naturalist Society

Filmmaker Dave Eckert grew up along Fishkill and Wappingers Creeks along the Hudson River in New York before moving to the stormdrained and channelized streams of hyperurbanized Northern Virginia. He has devoted the last twelve years to urban watershed protection and education. His first urban watershed film, premiered at the 2002 DC Environmental Film Festival, was about reviving a stream called Four Mile Run in Arlington. His second in a urban watershed trilogy is about the Occoquan River that empties into the Potomac River south of Mt. Vernon. "While filming, I have been surprised by the level of dedication of a small group of professionals who provide clean drinking water to over one million people; by the beauty and fragility of the watershed that produces clean water for Washington suburbanites; and by how quickly we could lose our system of clean drinking water if we are not careful." remarked Eckert. Eckert hopes that "Reclaiming our Water - The Occoquan River Watershed" has as great an impact upon local decision-makers as "Reviving an Urban Stream - Four Mile Run" had last year.