Every fall, over 600 fourth grade students from local elementary schools attend the annual Water Festival held in Yuma. The event is coordinated by the Pretreatment section of the Utilities Department and the Water Conservation Program Coordinator.

Pretreatment staff works with the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, who help organize these water festivals throughout the state of Arizona. The University of Arizona and the Utilities Department host a workshop for the teachers from the schools that attend the Water Festival. Teachers learn how to present water concepts in the classroom to coincide with the water festival’s science-focused stations and concepts. During the festival, students participate in four investigations that include watersheds, ground water, water cycle, and ways to conserve water. These topics are based upon state standards.

In Yuma, the City of Yuma Utilities Department coordinates the Water Festival with support from Yuma Elementary School District 1, Bureau of Reclamation, Carollo Engineering, NAU-Yuma, Yuma County Cooperative Extension and Rubicon Water.