On Saturday, October 9th, South Washington County Telecommunications Commission (SWCTC) was honored with its second regional Emmy® award at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS/ATAS) Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Awards Gala.

Water: The Oil of Our Century was awarded the Emmy® in the Science/Environment — Short or Long Form Content Category. Running twenty-four minutes in length, the film was two years in the making in collaboration and partnership with the cities of Woodbury, Cottage Grove and St. Paul Park, as well as state agencies, including the Metropolitan Council, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the St. Paul Saints.

“This informational documentary is a comprehensive look at the great work being done at both the city and state levels to ensure our water is safe, affordable, and available now and for future generations.” said Executive Director and Producer Mark Martinez. “We achieved a number of our organizational goals with the doc, and I’m so proud of our staff and grateful to our Commission members for their work and support that helped make this important production possible.”

The film highlights water conservation planning and practices in the region and its impact on economic development and agriculture. It is also a call to action for all Minnesotans to examine our water usage and look for ways we can continue to improve conservation efforts through education, advocacy, and adjustments within our own households.

The documentary was produced by the production team composed of Mark Martinez, Ann Schweisguth, Bob McSherry, Brian Schmidt, Lonnie Garland, Alaina Myers, and Justin Atkinson. SWCTC would like to thank the many contributors who provided their knowledge and skills to elevate Water: The Oil of Our Century into a powerful call to action.

Water: The Oil of Our Century is available to view on Comcast cable channels 18 and 859HD and on You- Tube®

SWCTC is a national award-winning local community media agency and cable franchising authority. The Commission is a joint powers cooperative that includes the cities of Cottage Grove, Grey Cloud Island Township, Newport, St. Paul Park, and Woodbury.