Winston Salem Times

As otter enthusiasts worldwide celebrate World Otter Day, the occasion may remind some locals of a notable event from March 2021. During this period, residents of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, along with local media and international otter organizations, participated in a national competition to support their river otter mural on a water tank. This collective effort led to the colorful "w’otter" tank winning the Knope National Championship, hosted online by Engaging Local Government Leaders.

The mural titled “Daybreak Along the River,” painted by DAAS in 2018 on the Sides Road tank, is prominently visible to thousands of drivers daily on Peters Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem. The artwork was featured in the 2023 Emmy and Telly Award-winning documentary series “Muraling Austin” and can be viewed at video.austinpbs.org/video/big-bright-bold-bpsutf/. The vibrant depiction of a North American River Otter aims to highlight local water resources and native flora and fauna, emphasizing their significance to the community. Notably, otters are indigenous to the Yadkin River, which serves as the primary water source for the region.

An interview with DAAS and a time-lapse video of the mural's painting process are available on the WSFC Utilities playlist at youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrCzyhsoAW_CMThTrodKduQcV5vrhJdTW. Additional videos showcasing the otter mural and more of DAAS’s work can be found at artist-daas.com.

For information about how tap water meets state and federal drinking water standards, visit cityofws.org/1287/Water-Treatment. The most recent water quality report is accessible at cityofws.org/wqr2023. For further inquiries, contact CityLink through any method listed on cityofws.org/citylink.