Central Arizona Project has joined forces with an Olympic gold medal winner to promote its latest public awareness campaign.
Misty Hyman, the former competitive swimmer and world record holder who captured a gold medal in the women’s 200-meter butterfly at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, will be a featured face and voice for “Project Lake Mead,” CAP’s new water awareness campaign that launches in September.
The campaign will promote the collaborative efforts among the federal government, partner states in the Colorado River basin, and Mexico to keep more water in the Colorado River system, improving the health of the river, and protecting Lake Mead’s elevation from dropping below critical levels.
Hyman, a Phoenix Shadow Mountain High School and Stanford University grad, recorded the video and radio spots in August to make the point that all Colorado River users have a stake in protecting and preserving the river system, and also how Arizona’s economy is directly tied to the reliable water supply the river provides. The radio and television ads began airing in September.
“We are delighted to partner with Misty Hyman for this very important awareness and educational campaign that directly affects all Arizonans,” said CAP General Manger Ted Cooke. “Misty is an Olympic champion and very well known here in her home state. We know her contribution to the Protect Lake Mead campaign will be a very positive one.”
“I’m happy to join with the Central Arizona Project for Protect Lake Mead,” Misty Hyman said. “Obviously, the importance of our water supply is paramount here in Arizona and the Southwest. I believe this water campaign will go a long way to educate others and to show that it’s imperative to conserve the water we do have for Arizona’s future.”
The area’s extended drought and overuse of Lake Mead have increased the risk of Colorado River users experiencing a future shortage. The Protect Lake Mead awareness campaign is promoting the message that more action is needed to address the long-term risks to the Colorado River and improve the health of the entire system and that we should all get involved by pursuing a greater awareness of these issues, supporting our Arizona water utilities and elected officials in the difficult and potentially unpopular decisions they may have to make.
