I received this question on our IndianaFIRST Facebook page about FLL. Any thoughts I could send?
To whom it may concern…
This season’s FLL theme Hydro Dynamics…is very complex. Our team is having trouble because our solution involves quality of water (as a result) …and less demand on water treatment facilities…not necessarily a direct way people dispose of water…but the effect of chemicals from the lawn washing into the storm drain. Could you please give us feedback as to whether residential runoff-- improving quality of water (with less pollutants being carried into the storm drain) counts as a solution this year. Thanks so much!
It might take a hair more explaining than, say, flushing a toilet, but watering a lawn sounds like just as much a human use of water as swimming in a pool (which is explicitly laid out in the challenge PDF).
And “Controlling industrial or agricultural runoff into natural waterways” is one of the potential problems laid out on the next page.
I am not their tournament judge, but if I was I’d say it’s legit.