Build a Water Treatment System Project, Hydrosphere Activity

Explore the water treatment process by having your students build a miniature treatment system.

My students love this project and really know their coagulation chambers from their disinfection chambers by the end of it. Students must use recycled or household items, plus some items provided by the teacher, to build a multi-stage water treatment system capable of turning raw water (water + dirt + leaves provided by teacher) into "clean" water. Be warned: this project gets a little messy but the kids get a big kick out of seeing water traveling through their system and coming out clear(ish).

As a teacher I usually provide: sand, gravel, coffee filters, straws, alum (a coagulant which can be found in the spices aisle of the supermarket), chlorine disinfectant (just water with blue food coloring in it) and the raw water used for testing. Students provide the rest and get very creative with soda bottles, yoghurt cups, and shoe boxes from home.

Students are responsible for producing a labelled system, a labelled diagram, and a report that includes a materials list, description of each stage, a paragraph on the importance of saving water, and 5 ways to save. Rubric provided.

I prime my students with a slideshow and notes on water treatment. Students can also research online the various stages of a typical water treatment plant. There are also some excellent videos available on youtube that outline the stages.

This project will involve 3-5 days of construction and testing (depending on the level of your students).