Wastewater Management
Human Use of Resources—Wastewater Management
Summary: Where does dirty water go when it leaves your home? This topic guide focuses on wastewater movement and treatment in municipal areas.
Concepts to teach: Storm water, wastewater, water treatment plant, septic system
Goals: Students recognize that water is an important resource used by humans, and that wastewater must be managed in order to conserve resources and to prevent harmful contaminants from escaping into the environment. They learn about various engineering solutions to wastewater management, including sewer systems, water treatment facilities, and septic systems.
Standards:
H.4D.1
Specific Objectives:
- Describe the difference between sewer lines and stormwater lines.
- Trace the route toilet water takes after it is flushed, and explain what happens to the water at each stage along its route.
- Illustrate how a septic tank works.
Activity Links and Resources:
- Review the Water Use topic guide from the Land and Water Use focus area in this module
- Contact your local city planning department or soil and water conservation districts for maps of local sewer lines. For example:
- Clean Water Services in Tualatin County has maps, tours, and links to local resources
- Invite a wastewater expert to the classroom, or take a field trip to a wastewater treatment facility.
- Virtual tours of wastewater treatment plants in locations outside the Pacific Northwest are also available:
- Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment (Washington D.C.)
- Daly City, California
- The Story of Dryville from USGS—Water management in a fictional, growing town.
- The Water Project lists a variety of education activities for Grades 9-12. Activities include online tutorials, instructions for building models, etc.
Assessment:
- Discuss differences between sewer lines and stormwater lines.
- Trace the route toilet water takes after it is flushed, and explain what happens to the water at each stage along its route.
- Using a drawing or model, describe how a septic tank works.
