If you’ve spotted a Manatee County water conservation van recently, then you’ve seen the artwork of Parrish Community High School’s Chloe Roeterdink, who won a county contest challenging local students to convey a message of water conservation in art or slogan form.
The recent graduate, who will attend Ringling College of Art and Design in the fall, illustrated a colorful scene of Florida-friendly landscaping with the message, “Use drought-resistant plants.” Moss rose, catmint, and lantana flowers are all clearly labeled and bring vibrant colors to the leafy green background. The artwork pops against the vans’ water-blue coloring.
Each year, Manatee County Utilities invites K-12 students to submit entries for the FSAWWA DropSavers Water Conservation Contest. Roeterdink’s entry was entered in the 2023 contest and is one of four student works (two from Parrish Community High and two from Rowlett Middle Academy) chosen to adorn the county’s two Water Lab vans.
“Chloe’s poster submission art was not only beautiful and showed amazing talent, but it conveyed the message we are seeking,” said Tina Moutoux of the Manatee County Administration office. “Established Florida-friendly landscaping drastically reduces the need for any irrigation—and can create very beautiful landscapes that require little to no maintenance, which Chloe captured in her submission in 2023.”
Those newly wrapped vans, which will be in the community daily to promote water conservation, made their debut in April 2024 with surprise appearances at the winners’ schools. Moutoux said that administrators hope to wrap additional county vehicles in the future.
