Illinois EPA State Fair Exhibit Promotes Water Quality Education and Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director John J. Kim announced the Agency's participation in the 2022 Illinois State Fair exhibits. This year's Illinois EPA exhibit is themed "Now Streaming - Water Connects Us All" The Illinois EPA exhibit, located in Conservation World, will have interactive games and educational information about the achievements that have been accomplished in Illinois with the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act, how to prevent nonpoint source pollution, assessing water quality, information on harmful algal blooms and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), as well as water conservation.

"The Illinois EPA has a long history of exhibiting at the Illinois State Fair to share information on environmental protection and stewardship to fairgoers young and old," said Director Kim. "This year's exhibit offers kids a chance to play games while they and their families gain knowledge about water quality and our environment."

As part of the exhibit, children can play "Putting for Clean Water" where the golf ball is a water drop and it tries to avoid nonpoint source pollution before entering the waterbody with the least amount of strokes. There will also be a plinko game with water-related categories. Participants will be asked a question on the topic where the ball lands. Additionally, there will be a macroinvertebrate pool to match up nymphs and larvae water critters to their correct insect stage. Younger children will also be invited to color at coloring tables.

Educational signs will be posted throughout the exhibit for the adults to view and learn while the children are playing. These include information on 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act and the Agency's accomplishments, water conservation, nonpoint source pollution, trends in chemical concentrations in fish tissue, macroinvertebrates as a water quality indicator, macroinvertebrates life cycle, streambank stabilization, harmful algal blooms, and PFAS. Adults can also register to win one of four rain barrels being given away by the Illinois EPA during the fair.

The Illinois EPA's Conservation World exhibit will be open from 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. each of the 10 days of this year's fair. The exhibit is located just south of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Building.