 
News and special events coming up
It's getting closer - New!
You too can be a leader in our city
Our totally cool party
EcoDay
Rain Harvesting YouTube Video
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Kids
Speakers at Titirangi September
2009
Enter the ART
competition
How to improve your speeches
Project Twin Streams Song Quest 09 - Celebration Night
It's getting closer
Did you know that Waitakere City will lose its
name on the 1st Nov? Everyone will become part of
the 'super-city' of Auckland Council. This is very
big news and it will affect rates and water bills
that Mum and Dad receive.
 This is what the new logo for the new
Auckland
Council will look like.
Mum and Dad will be able to vote in the local
government elections in October. Remind them to
check that they are enrolled. They can't choose who
they want to run the new city unless they are
correctly enrolled.
See, even grownups have rules.
You'll still need to be extra careful about not
wasting drinking water in the new city but we know
we can count on you.
If you want to put a water message on our club
website send your message to
frances.harrison@waitakere.govt.nz
You too can be a leader in our city
One of our most enthusiastic water ambassadors was
recently honoured by the mayor and city councillors
for his efforts at promoting water-efficiency to the
public.
Paras Wadhwa spoke to assembled councillors and
community board members at the April council meeting
about the importance of using water wisely and how
residents can make small behaviour changes to cut
down on water wastage around the home. He was then
presented with a certificate from the city in
appreciation of all he has done to advocate for
this.
Paras has actively promoted water-efficiency at his
school, multiple community events, club celebrations
and has attended club workshops where development of
leadership and creativity were encouraged.
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| Paras receives certificate |
Paras and certificate |
Paras and Family with certificate |
Many other club members have contributed to
spreading the water-wise message over the past year.
Perhaps you have discussed with your parents how to
minimise water wastage in your home. Thank you to
each of you for your efforts, great and small. It
does make a difference to our city and to your
families and especially to you. Let us know the ways
you would like to help out. Our planet needs you to
keep up the good work in any environmental
initiatives you can find.
Send us information and/or photos to show what YOU are doing
to help. We'll put them on the internet for you.
Your friend Splosh
Our totally cool party
March was cause for celebration for all our members.
The Water Ambassadors Kids Club held a Birthday Bash
party to recognise the achievements of our members
over our first year.
Water-themed balloons festooned the West Wave
Recreation Centre, members gave speeches, reminisced
over past club activities, watched karate and diving
demonstrations and the older members went where few
members of the public have gone before - down inside
the plant room, on a "Mysteries of the Pipes Tour".
This was greatly enjoyed by the children and their
parents.
Even our big Splash Birthday Cake got munched in the
blink of an eye, yummy!
Great job Paras and Nisarag. These two boys
delivered well-crafted speeches and showed why kids
make fantastic water ambassadors.
The event was supported by the Deputy Mayor Penny
Hulse and Councillor Judy Lawley as well as senior
management of Waitakere's EcoWater which sponsors
the club. All there could see that the advocacy,
personal development and passion of the children and
their supportive parents made for a magical
experience.
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Splosh birthday cake |
We had lots of entertainment |
EcoWater explains how the club got started |
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Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse is proud of the efforts we are making |
We got to take the balloons home |
The karate club gave a demonstration |
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Kids in action |
Looking underwater on the Mysteries of the pipes tour |
Keeping the water clean at West Wave |
EcoDay
EcoDay displayed the talents and commitment of some
of our leading water ambassadors kids club members.
Paras, Patrick and Vandan took to the floor in the
seminar room to let the audience know what our water
issues are and how to do something positive about
them. Comments from the audience were appreciated.
Back at the club booth we had Shannon and Keegan
encouraging the public to learn about the club.
Later on their task was taken up by Tanishk, Piyush,
Myridhinyi, Pierre, Vandan and Nisarag. What a
fantastic team; the public were charmed and informed
by you and I suspect there were some very proud
parents watching you work too.
Our infrastructure posters on drinking water and
wastewater were really popular with children and
teachers. Well done.
We'd like to encourage other members to get involved
in community events in the future such as the
Light
Up at Twilight, Field 3 Henderson Park, Friday 19
March. This is when the new lighting for the walk
and cycleway is switched on and we have a display
booth there if you'd like to help.
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Pierre, Vandan and Piyush |
Paras and family - water ambassadors |
A great day to interact |
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Pierre volunteered his time to spread the message |
The MacDonalds are enthusiastic members |
Frances and Piyush at our display |
Rain Harvesting YouTube Video
View this
delightful message on the importance and
'ease' of rain-harvesting, from India.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, KidsWhat a crazy, busy year it's been. We've had
competitions and prizes, a think tank and afternoon
tea, encouraged the grownups to use water more
wisely, created a speakers group, spoken at
Titirangi, at Swanson School and at Swanson 350
Climate Change event and held a workshop. Some of
our speakers are even on YouTube - how cool is that?
See the stories further down this Pipeline page.
We've loaded videos on how to be a better speaker on
the
Teen Pool Page. Check it out.
On top of all that we've grown to more than 1000
members. Amazing! Thanks for caring about our water
supply and wanting to help. Next year we'll look at
issues of wastewater too. That's the ikky water we
want to get rid of after we've used it.
So, in 2010 we'll have new things to learn, as well
as planning our first Birthday Party. Teens, please
make suggestions on how you'd like to run your part
of the club.
Over the school holidays remember to
Use water wisely - especially outside
- Check the website regularly because we've been
busy putting new stuff up
- Make your competition entry for the art contest
- Take the family to see the Junior World Surfing
Champs at Piha in January.
I'm going to hang out with my Dad Splash (he's in
charge of the grownups'
Water Ambassadors NZ site)
and Mum Splish. I'll tell you all about what we get
up to later in January. Have a safe and happy time.
Bye for now and see you in 2010
Your friend Splosh
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| Our team speaking at Swanson Railway Station |
An afternoon at SwansonA group of us attended the Swanson 350 Climate
Change event on 24 October. It was a day when all
around the world people were focussing on carbon
emissions and climate change and what we could do to
help our planet.
Five water ambassadors gave powerful speeches which
had every adult paying attention. Comments came back
of how impressed the audience was with the
performances. Congratulations to Paras, Mrydhinyi,
David, Patrick and Kavya for outstanding efforts.
You coped with the outdoors and the microphone so
well.
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| Laiba and Paras in action |
Delivering messages to your school
In November Paras and Laiba delivered their 'use
water wisely' speeches at assembly at Swanson
School. It was a great opportunity to be true
ambassadors to inform and persuade others to care
more about not wasting drinking water. If any other
members want to do this at their school just email
frances.harrison@waitakere.govt.nz
and she will
arrange it for you and come along and take photos.
Speakers Workshop
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| Our workshop
speakers and presenters |
Even the best speakers among us can learn to be even
more effective. We held a speakers workshop which
covered things like: using your voice and your body
more effectively, creating powerful introductions,
how to evaluate someone's speech (and your own), as
well as how to give a speech when you have no
opportunity to prepare. We had some laughs and
everyone, including the presenters, learnt useful
techniques. Thank you to the Mums and Dads who
attended too.
Congratulations
Congratulations to all our
members who entered our last competition. You have
all received additional club badges. We are
especially proud of Akshat, Ashriya, Avineet and
Kevin who are our winners for the competition about
using water wisely INSIDE. They received some really
cool books. Check out our entries on our Pump it!
page. It's fantastic to see your ideas and efforts.
See our NEW competition below.
Competition Hint: Make sure you read the competition
topic carefully and present your entry to cover that
topic.
Enter the ART competition!
There is only one option this
time, ART. We are especially keen on art as we would
like to produce a kids club calendar.
The competition is open to all registered members
aged 5-15 years old.
Get your entries in no later than 29 January 2010.
You can send them as early as you like.
Artwork. Post us a piece of art (A4 or A3) showing
the ways water can be used wisely inside or outside
the home. If you want to make a small piece of art
that is not flat you will need to drop it off at
Waitakere City Council's customer services counter,
level 2, Waitakere Central, 6 Henderson Valley Road,
Henderson.
Make sure your name is on it. You can use
felts, crayons, pencils, paint or any other tools.
Project Twin Streams Song Quest 09 - Celebration Night
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Speakers at Titirangi September 2009
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slideshow.
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