Water Color Project | Orange County students auction hand-painted rain barrels for water conservation
Students in Orange County are creatively promoting water conservation by transforming rain barrels into artistic pieces as part of the Orlando Utilities Commission’s Water Color Project.
Central Florida summer weather pattern is in full swing, with most days now getting rounds of showers and storms, so local students are helping spread an important message to make every drop count. And they’re doing this in *** creative way. They’re using artwork to highlight the importance of water conservation all by transforming rain barrels just like these into really incredible, beautiful projects that can help the environment and save us money. I’m, I’m listening now. It’s part of *** program called the Watercolor Project, and we want to introduce Carlene Santiago and Joseph Montmerno, who are here with the Orlando Utilities Commissioner OUC. Good to see you today. Thank you. So much. All right, so Carlene, tell us *** little bit about this project that that’s transforming these things that maybe somebody would say this is an eyesore. I don’t want this in my yard. No, you want this in your yard. Um, this is part of the watercolor project, which is *** partnership that we have with Orange County Public Schools, and it is part of an overall project that includes *** calendar component for elementary school students and then our rain barrels, uh, which is for middle and high school students, and the point is to teach them the importance of water conservation. Art, so they took these eyesores that are usually blue. They’re 55 gallon barrels, and they turned them into beautiful pieces of art that represent different things to them. Yeah, well, and let’s look at this. We’ve got, I mean, things that are, as we talk about the environment, we’ve got *** sea turtle right there. Look at all of this. We’re seeing the oceans because obviously if we are conserving the water that falls outside our homes on these summer afternoons, that’s going to be *** good. So Joseph, how does this benefit more than we’re thinking about? Yes, I’m talking about the environment, but it’s going to help our wallets as well. Yeah, yeah, you could definitely save some money on, on these, and even though we’re seeing two, you can put more than one at your house. You think 5 gallons as Carlina shared, and roughly during the summer months you can save roughly about 1300 gallons of water on each of these for usage, for typical usage, and they’re used for all different purposes. again we can be using for your plants. You can be using for washing your car, etc. etc. Yeah, and this comes in handy when, yes, we go through *** time like this where we get *** lot of rain, but then there are those seasons where we haven’t seen *** lot. We still have some areas dealing with drought conditions, correct? Correct, yeah, yeah. So some of these are also going to be for *** good cause. We’ve got, I think I’m hearing about an auction, right? Tell me *** little bit about that. Yes, so we’re currently Only auctioning off 28 barrels, which is the barrels that were part of the project this year, and 100% of the proceeds go back to the school’s art programs. So it goes back to benefit, um, the arts, and, and, and everything that it is included in the schools. And to be *** part of the uh, the rain barrel auction, you will reach out to community engagement at OUC.com or on our website www.OUC.com/watercolor. There’s an auction portion, and it’s pretty much we’re doing silent bids right now. Currently have 4 that are being bid on right now, but we would love to have all 28 sold and in your home. Yeah, let’s get, get them and for *** great cause, can we give *** little shout out to the schools here that did these too? OK, I’m seeing Kelly Park on Kelly Park School painted this beautiful Public sparrow, *** staple in the Florida community. I mean this artwork is stunning. Look at this. These are some of the different styles of public stores that you see all over Central Florida. I mean they are taking us. Back through the Florida history, but also doing something great for the environment and then of course, yeah, the things that we get there at Publix cakes every, every holiday there’s *** Publix cakes on the table and then also for Arbor Ridge they did this one that sort of focuses on the environment. Kelly Park, Arbor Ridge, great work that they’ve done. OK, so we know we’re going to bid. We’re going to see all 28 of these rain barrels go and, and you know, for you, how much. Does this just give you guys such *** joy to see our young people engaging in something that does such *** good thing and impacts our environment? No, it’s wonderful. I think the important part of this whole project is to have our young folks, our next generation of human beings, be good stewards for water, which is our most precious resource, and and just keep learning about this and being *** supporter for the environment, for water conservation in our area. We love it. Thank you both for coming in today. Absolutely.
Water Color Project | Orange County students auction hand-painted rain barrels for water conservation
Students in Orange County are creatively promoting water conservation by transforming rain barrels into artistic pieces as part of the Orlando Utilities Commission’s Water Color Project.
Updated: 9:25 AM EDT Jul 1, 2026
Students in Orange County are turning rain barrels into artistic creations to highlight the importance of water conservation as part of the Orlando Utilities Commission’s (OUC) annual Water Color Project. The project involves auctioning off 28 hand-painted barrels created by local students, with all proceeds going directly back to the participating schools. The effort blends arts education, environmental stewardship and community engagement, turning functional rain barrels into one-of-a-kind pieces that also promote water conservation. Bidding is open to the public through July 3, with each barrel starting at $150. Click here to learn more.>>Watch the full interview in the video player above.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Students in Orange County are turning rain barrels into artistic creations to highlight the importance of water conservation as part of the Orlando Utilities Commission’s (OUC) annual Water Color Project.
The project involves auctioning off 28 hand-painted barrels created by local students, with all proceeds going directly back to the participating schools.
The effort blends arts education, environmental stewardship and community engagement, turning functional rain barrels into one-of-a-kind pieces that also promote water conservation.
Bidding is open to the public through July 3, with each barrel starting at $150.
Click here to learn more.
>>Watch the full interview in the video player above.