The aim of the competition For Water is to interconnect young gifted people with people who seek solutions for the effective and responsible water management. The competition has been carried out for the fifth time by the Ekopolis Foundation with the support of the company Nestlé and under the patronage of the Minister of the Environment of the Slovak republic Ján Budaj.

Self – governments, civic organizations, schools and another subjects could have applied for real problematic tasks relating to water management at the end of the last year. “We consequently chose ten model proposals from all of the tasks to solve. They could have choosen from our proposals; they could have nominated their own semestral or their diploma assignments” says Martina Paulíková, the project manager of the competition For Water from Ekopolis Foundation. . The required age group was between 18 and 30 years. They could have competen as individuals or as a teams with maximum of six members. Students, graduates or employees who belonged to the required age group could have participated in the competition.

„The Nestlé company takes priority over the field of responsible water management. We pay special attention to it in our social responsibility. The competiton For Water presents a unique way how to enhance awareness and responsible treatment with water management. At the same time competition For Waters offers effective and original solutions with water management to cities/towns and villages. Last but not least the competiton For Water enables to support young people who show a real interest in protecting environment“, says Ľubica Novotná, the manager of the corporate issues Nestlé Slovakia s.r.o.

Ekopolis foundation received ten competing works in total and nine of them were recommended to the final part of the competition. At the same time seven of them were solution of proposed model situations and two of them were the competitors ́ own proposals to the final of the competition. The final of the competition For Water was held before the members of the professional committee on 10th December 2020. Young professionals delivered us exceptionally high-quality and inspirational works in the fifth years of the competition despite of shifting the deadlines and due to COVID-19 restrictions. „The proposals dealt with current issues, for example, with the restoration of water currents or agricultural lands; with retaining rainwater in the urban environment; with creating elements in water and green infrastructure“, says Paulíková. After competitors finished presenting their proposals, the members of the professional committee evaluated the proposals according to the standards which had beforehand been published. The overall winner of the competition was awarded the prize to the total value of 1000 E by the company Nestlé; the second prize was awarded the prize to the value of 500 E; and the third prize was awarded the prize to the value of 250 E. All the competitive proposals will be handed to their owners. Furthermore they will be able to carry out their plans with water management according to their own needs. The professional committee decided on the following winners which were announced officially to the public during a live broadcasting through the Facebook page of the Ekopolis Foundation.

1st Prize 1000 E
Martin Manina: Possibilities of rainwater management in the main area of SPU

2nd Prize 500 E
Miroslav Čibik: Stylization of the wetland area – Trenčianske Biskupice
3rd Prize (two proposals for 250 E)
Jakub Kypus: Discovery of the Všivák stream in the historical part of Žilina
Jakub Pagáč, Alexandra Pagáčová Mokrá: Flood and erosion control measures in the village of Veľké Zálužie
The professional committee decided to grant five special awards. Other finalist were awarded in the sum of 150 E each. Because every competing proposals were extremely good, they were original and they had a great contribution to the environment(society). You can check on the web page each proposal which was presented at the competition For Water:

• Proposal for revitalization modifications of the riverbed and banks of the Drázus stream in Rožňava. Michal Tomlain (Matej Bel University)
• Discovery of the Všivák stream in the historical part of Žilina. Samuel Sekera, University of Žilina, Žilina)
• Restoration of Lakšár lake, Tomáš Kysel, Technical university in Zvolen
• Discovery of the Všivák stream and revitalization of the SNP orchard in Žilina,, Štefan Jančár, Dominika Ľudviková (Technical University in Košice)
• Making the pond more attractive in the area of the dilapidated Byšta Spa, Andrea Zajacová (Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra)

The competition was carried out by Ekopolis Foundation thanks to a financial support of the company Nestlé. You can obtain more information on the competition from the project manager Martina B. Paulík