Nearly 800 students get a lesson in water conservation

Almost 800 youngsters from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach were among thousands of Orange County students who went to UC Irvine this week for the Children’s Water Education Festival.

The event Wednesday and Thursday at UCI’s Aldrich Park was intended to educate third- through fifth-graders about water issues and how to conserve water and protect the environment. Classes were taught by representatives of 60 public and private organizations.

Students from 74 schools in 21 cities across Orange County attended.

The festival was presented by the Orange County Water District, the district’s Groundwater Guardian Team, the Disneyland Resort and the National Water Research Institute.