Description

The Model Water Tower Competition (MWTC) is a STEM-based, workforce development program that is supported by the Georgia Section of the American Water Works Association (GAWWA) and the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP). This competition involves students building functional water towers out of mostly recycled materials. 

The MWTC is designed to provide information to youth about water resource engineering, infrastructure, water treatment and water conservation in hopes that some will become future water professionals. The contest is for middle schools, and it allows students to learn about the water profession through a fun-filled, hands-on science project. Each student or team of students (up to 4 per team) constructs a functioning model water tower. 

The students learn that a water tower has three main components: an elevated tank, a riser pipe, and a structure to elevate the tank. In addition, students experience what it is like to be an Engineer for a day by solving issues with their towers and trying to come up with the best design based on provided, limited specifications. The towers are tested to make sure they meet the specifications for both materials and dimensions. 

Towers are judged based on three criteria: structural efficiency, hydraulic efficiency, and design ingenuity/interview presentation.