Local Texas Watershed Information Shared Through Interactive Kiosks

Online, September 20, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The Environmental Protection Agency, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) and City of Kyle, Texas have given the public a new way to learn more about the serious subject of water. They have installed interactive computer kiosks in several locations throughout the city, which is located roughly 20 miles southwest of Austin.

The self-service kiosks, supplied by Advanced Kiosks, display educational modules by interactive touch screen, and the user can listen to mini-lessons on myriad water subjects, such as watersheds and nonpoint source pollution, wastewater treatment process and operation and maintenance of aerobic and conventional septic systems.

"The (computer) kiosk will also include links to real-time data for Plum Creek, which means that folks will be able to look at the current temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity and flow," said Cinde Thomas-Jimenez, GBRA environmental education administrator.

The Plum Creek kiosk was designed by the GBRA with the help of Advanced Kiosks engineers, and funded by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board through the EPA's Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Nonpoint Pollution Grant Program.

The government kiosks are being made available in school libraries, public libraries and community centers. Colorful computer modules explain nonpoint source pollution - the pollutants that enter the waterways in rainfall runoff. By using the kiosk's touch screen the residents of a watershed, like Plum Creek, Geronimo Creek or Cypress Creek, can learn about how a wastewater treatment plant operates, how to operate and maintain on-site sewage systems, and the best way to dispose of fats, oils and grease.

In some locations, the kiosk is linked to a continuous monitoring station in the watershed that gives real-time water quality data. The kiosks also provide a bird's eye view of the watershed in a "fly-over" using Google Earth.

For more information, contact Howard Horn at [email protected] or 866 783-3791.

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About Advanced Kiosks - Advanced Kiosks opened in 2001 as a division of H32 Design & Development LLC. The company designs, engineers and manufactures interactive, multimedia software and kiosk hardware.

Corporate headquarters are located in Wilmot, New Hampshire and the manufacturing facility is located in Franklin, New Hampshire. Advanced Kiosks is a Made in USA manufacturer using components from vendors throughout the United States.