Washington D.C. Area High School Student Honored for Report on Lead Contamination in School Drinking Water

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Laura Mirviss of Potomac, Md., was today announced as the winner of the annual ITT Award for Excellence in Student Water Journalism (IAESWJ) for her article titled, "Lead Astray: MCPS Failed to Enact Lead Plan." This award was created by ITT Corporation , a global leader in water technology, to recognize aspiring journalists reporting on water-related, environmental issues. The competition was designed to raise awareness and encourage exploration of global water challenges.

Mirviss, a junior at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Md., reported on her investigation into the public school system's failure to address lead contamination in her school's water supply. The article was originally published in the Feb. 1, 2007, issue of the Montgomery Blair High School newspaper, Silver Chips. In 2004, her high school, the largest in the Washington D.C., metropolitan area, was found to have 237 water sources with lead levels that exceeded the EPA mandated limit of 20 parts per billion. Through her reporting, she found that none of the protocol requirements within the 2004 remediation plan had been met at her school.

"Testing the water is only the first step. Resolving problems that arise from these tests is crucial," said Steve Loranger, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of ITT Corporation. "By creating this award, as well as promoting the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, ITT Corporation aims to foster awareness, encourage future generations to voice these issues, and strive for solutions to ensure widespread access to clean, safe water."

In January of this year, the District of Columbia Water and Sewage Authority (WASA) issued its most recent report on lead levels in area drinking supplies, noting that 90 percent of the samples had lead levels of 12 parts per billion (ppb) or less, a level below U.S. Environment Protection Agency's (EPA) action level of 15 ppb. These regular reports are the proactive result of WASA discovering drinking supplies that tested above the federal limit for lead contamination. The results demonstrate that some action has been taken to improve drinking water quality in Washington D.C.

Mirviss' article stood out for its timeliness, use of research and sources, and strong execution. Her piece was selected from a pool of articles submitted nationwide by a judging panel of top environmental, science and water journalists and industry leaders, including judges representing National Geographic, MSNBC, The Scientist, Time magazine, and Water Environment and Technology.

"Laura Mirviss produced a remarkable, courageous piece of investigative reporting that shows an impressive commitment to uncovering the truth about an important issue," said Michael Lemonick, senior writer for Time magazine.

As part of the award, Mirviss and her faculty advisor will receive an expense-paid trip to Stockholm, Sweden to attend and report from the 2007 Stockholm Water Symposium, which takes place as part of the annual World Water Week, August 11 through August 17, 2007. Upon publication of an article resulting from her experience at World Water Week, Mirviss will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship from ITT.

About the Award

The ITT Award for Excellence in Student Water Journalism recognizes a high school student for outstanding reporting - in either print or broadcast media - on a water-related environmental issue. The award is administered in partnership with the Quill and Scroll Society, an international organization founded in 1926 by a group of high school advisers for the purpose of encouraging and recognizing individual student achievement in journalism and scholastic publication. The Quill and Scroll Society has granted charters to more than 14,000 high schools in all 50 states and in 44 other countries.

The judging panel included Dennis Dimick, executive editor of National Geographic; Michael Lemonick, senior writer for Time magazine; Melissa Jackson, editor of Water Environment & Technology; Miguel Llanos, environmental and conservation reporter for MSNBC.com; Dick Johns, director of the Quill and Scroll Society; and Ivan Oransky, deputy editor of The Scientist.

For more information on the ITT Award for Excellence in Student Water Journalism, please log onto http://www.itt.com/.

The Stockholm World Water Week Symposium is a world-renowned gathering of international leading water experts from academia, government and industry who meet to develop effective and long-term global water resources management solutions. It is the venue for the International Stockholm Junior Water Prize, which ITT Corporation has sponsored for ten years. This is the most prestigious international competition to recognize students for excellence in water science research. In 2007, national winners from approximately 30 countries will compete for the international prize, which is also awarded during the Stockholm Water Symposium.

About ITT Corporation

ITT Corporation (http://www.itt.com/) supplies advanced technology products and services in several growth markets. ITT is a global leader in the transport, treatment and control of water, wastewater and other fluids. The company plays a vital role in international security through its defense communications and electronics products; space surveillance and intelligence systems; and advanced engineering and related services. It also serves the growing leisure marine and electrical connectors markets with a wide range of products. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., the company generated $7.8 billion in 2006 sales. In addition to the New York Stock Exchange, ITT Corporation stock is traded on the Euronext, London and Frankfurt exchanges.