Press releases, Story date : Thursday, August 12 1999

Spanish team wins this year’s Stockholm Junior Water Prize

Three young girls from Spain won the 1999 international Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition and received the Prize sculpture and congratulations from HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Rosa Lozano Durán, Elisabeth Pozo Camacho and Rocío Ruiz Arias won the distinction through their project, "Echinoderms as Biological Indicators of Water Quality in the Alborán Sea Coast", which was selected as the best in the competition from among 13 other projects representing as many countries. (View video from the ceremony by visiting the SIWI home page, choose "Press releases" and find the video link under "News", headline "Spanish Girls Win Stockholm Junior Water Prize".)

Rosa, Elisabeth and Rocío used sea urchins, starfish and sea cucumbers to help determine how effective an EU beach program was in protecting plant and animal life on Spain's Alborán Coast in the Western Mediterranean Sea. By evaluating different beach strips and using the echinoderms as an indicator of bacterial pollution, the students accurately identified which beach environments are truly protected, and which require further protective measures.

In particular, they focused on coastal areas and beaches receiving the "European Blue Flag," given to areas that meet environmental and aesthetic criteria. The young Spaniards observed many of these beaches have high levels of bacterial pollution, thus placing plant and animal life at risk. They proposed amending European Blue Flags with echinoderm logos that further indicate ecosystem health.

"Rosa, Elisabeth and Rocío have conducted an innovative project with direct and relevant implications for society. Through their own initiative and work, these young scientist employed a new perspective in measuring the health of animals and plants on Spain's Western Mediterranean coast", says Johan Rockström, of RELMA/SIDA, and chairman of the nominating committee for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize.

The Prize, which includes a $5,000 award and crystal sculpture, was presented at a ceremony in Stockholm 10 August by the Swedish Crown Princess, who is patron of the Prize.

Spain is one of the countries Kemwater particularly sponsors in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition through subsidiary Kemira Ibérica S.A. After the award ceremony, Kemira Ibérica’s happy MD Juan Ricomŕ invited the three Prize winners together with their families and teacher to a celebration dinner. The three girls thereafter disappeared into the Water Festival night life of Stockholm.

Kemwater congratulates Rosa, Elisabeth and Rocío to the Prize and wishes them a very prosperous future in the water business!

Other contact persons:
Charlotte Mönnich Jung Kemira Kemi AB, Kemwater