Every spring, we invite hundreds of Boulder Valley School District fourth- and fifth-graders and their teachers to Operation Water Festival. The festival has been running since 1993.
In a year when we entered a Drought Watch and communities across the region are navigating some of the driest conditions in recorded history, the event is more important than ever. These children bring curiosity and leave with a sense of responsibility for the water that sustains their community, landscape and future.
Most of us turn on a faucet without thinking about the journey water has taken to reach us. Operation Water Festival brings that invisible journey to life.
For Boulder, that journey begins as rain, snow and mountain snowpack. It travels through watersheds, into reservoirs, through treatment facilities, into the pipes beneath our streets, and finally, into our homes.
Students discover how drinking water is treated, trace the geology of local watersheds, and learn about the plants, animals and people whose survival depends on healthy waterways. They learn about everything water-related, from beavers’ role in wetlands and drought care for trees, to flooding, hydropower, and how we get our drinking water.
They leave knowing more about real-world issues and their own role as water stewards.
Our community has set ambitious goals around climate resilience — goals that can only be sustained if young people understand why they matter. Events like Operation Water Festival are part of our commitment to climate action and inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.
Other events this year included a free Meadow Music concert themed entirely around water with Jeff & Paige, sponsored by the city. About 450 children and families explored interactive water-related activities with city staff and local organizations. The city also funds Eco-Cycle's H2OH! program, which brings water education directly into Boulder elementary schools, reaching third through fifth graders with hands-on, bilingual curriculum each year.
Together, these programs help ensure that water literacy reaches families across our community.
When we make our communities better places for children and youth, we make them better places for everyone.
The students at this year's festival will one day be the community members, engineers, scientists, and decision-makers making choices for Boulder’s water in 2045 and beyond. Investing in their understanding of our most precious resource is one of the most meaningful things we can do for the city’s long-term resilience.
Water stewardship belongs to all of us — especially the next generation. Empowering their curiosity supports our vision for a sustainable, resilient Boulder.
Find water stewardship resources for every household and learn more about free city water conservation programs at:
