The urban watershed educator's guide grades 4-8 : a supplement to the Project WET curriculum and activity guide for teachers in Atlanta and other metro areas

THE

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Acknowledgements (continued)

Curriculum Consulting Cathy Archibald and her Challenge students at Centennial Place Elementary for the lesson, "The Ghosts ofWater Past":
Christen Bailey, Diamond Bragg, Ethan Bright, Eva Cooke, Bryan Neely, Chrystalia Pines, Brianna Fairley, Michael Hall, Arantza Hernandez, Allie Melton, RayShawn Ware and Stephen Weatherly, Natalie Anderson, Kenny Cochran, Daye Hunt, Miles Martin, James Taylor, Alexandra Thomas, Khelsea Willis Angelle Cooper, Contract Writer Virginia Elliott, (Retired Principal Tritt Elementary) Karen Garland, Environmental Education Coordinator Georgia Conservancy Jerry Hightower, Environmental Education Coordinator, U.S. National Park Service/CRNRA Dell Pamplin, AP Environmental Science Teacher, Chattahoochee High School Sally Pamplin, Curriculum Specialist, Shakerag Elementary School
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Jim Harrison, Environmental Scientist
Cooperative Extension Service, Griffin Office Rose Mary Seymour, Public Service Assistant
Arnold Magnet Academy, Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for LearningTeam, Developed an adaptation to ~azing Water" Teachers
Benita Blanton, Becky Champion, Terri Massa, Amy Mobley, Jill Sammons Students Luke Adamson, Heather Brown, Alex DuPont, Alyssa Duvall, Logan McRae,Jenise Santos, Richie Schott

Piloting Teachers Project Learning Tree/Project WET facilitator workshop
Carol Anderson, Maria-Elena Araujo, 0 liver Baumann-Cole, Malisha Brown, Miriam Burnett, John Collis, Susan Davis, Holly Denham, Cindy Duncan, Don Dye, Allison Ericson, Rebecca Fielding, Chandra Gilchrist, Kathy Gunn, Sheri Henshaw, Dawn Hudson, Paul Hulsing, Pam King, Catherine Koconis, Edith Ladipo, Bobbie Laminack, Linda Lee Longsdorf, Stephanie Mack, Maureen McManus, Monica Nichols, Keri Norris, Robert Phillips, Barbara Reeves, Byron Rushing, Chris Sedgwick, Anne Shenk, Courtney Smith, Judy Ann Tanner, David Trott, Rueben Warren, Janie Whiteside, Erika Yamamoto
Shakerag Elementary Wendy Bradley, Christine Burton
WET workshop at Centennial Place Elementary Angela Allen, Cathy Archibald, SuSann Bagay, Sean Blass, Leslie Bogosi, Zakiya Bullock, Brian Davis, Nicole Epps,Jeanne Faas, Marilyn Johnson, Sheila Lappling, Tabitha Martin, Marie McCall, Yvette McMichael, Valerie Oliver, Brenda Pierce, Trisha Porter, Barbara Preuss, Kadasha Reid, Calvin Scott, Karin Searls, Lauren Smidansky, Molly Stanford, Alfreda Stinson, Elliott Watts, Connie Wooten
Other Piloting Schools and Students A.D. Williams Elementary Fifth Grade Students Centennial Place Elementary Fourth Grade Students
With support from the Environmental Education Alliance ofGeorgia
Cover Design and Layout Lenz, Inc.

The Urban Watershed Educators Guide Georgia Project WET Supplement

SHIRLEY FRANKLIN
MAYOR

CITY OF ATLANTA
55 TRIN ITY AVENUE , S .W ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30335 -0300
TEL 14041 330 - 6100

Dear Concerned Teachers:
Atlanta is a historic city. The years have molded us into a place where the world gathers for friendship, business and education. Our population continues to increase because of the opportunities that exist here. As we grow, we have to be flexible and change with the times.
The 1873 Committee of Sewers and Drains could not have predicted the challenges that face the Department of Watershed Management in 2005 . ln order to prepare the future leaders of our city, we must educate them today.
The Urban Watershed: A Supplement to the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide for Teachers in Metro Atlanta increases students knowledge of and appreciation for our natural resources.
This curriculum enables students to engage in important conversations and topics. Their knowledge about the urban land area around our streams, wetlands , lakes and rivers can encourage them to take responsibility about preserving our water source. By encouraging young people to advocate for water resource preservation , our city can look forward to a future of wellinformed residents and representatives.
Thank you, again, for your cooperation and support.

"' <;t':.-

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Geor2ia Department of Natural Resources 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, S.E., Suite 1152 East Tower, Atlanta, Georgia 30334-9000
Noel Holcomb, Commissioner Carol A. Couch, Ph.D., Director Environmental Protection Division
404/656-4713
Dear Educators:
I appreciate the time and talent you bring to your students. Thank you for helping them become tomorrow's leaders.
An adequate supply of clean water is also paramount to Georgia's future. It is critical to the economic prosperity and environmental health of our State that citizens understand their role in protecting and conserving water resources. To do so, we all must work together to educate the public.
The Environmental Protection Division's Georgia Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) program provides educators ofK-12th grade students with easy-to-use tools for teaching about water. WET's most recent partnership, with the City ofAtlanta Department ofWatershed Management, makes it easier than ever for teachers and students to understand the clean water process.
With The Urban Watershed: A Supplement to the Project WET Activity and Curriculum Guide, 4th-8th grade students will trace the delivery of drinking water, and removal of wastewater, from River to River. They will learn water quality standards, the effects of pollution on our State's waterways and what they can do to Walk the Talk for Water.
I am proud that the Georgia EnVironmental Protection Division has helped create such a valuable resource for educators and I know that you and your students will enjoy it as much as I did (see picture below).
Sincerely,
Carol Couch, Ph.D Director
Dr. Carol Couch experiences the Urban Watershed Activity "River to River" at the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia conference.

SHIRLEY FRANKUN MAYOR
Dear Educators,

CITY OF ATLANTA 55 TRINITY AVENUE SW. SUITE 5400. SOlJTH BLDG. ATLANTA GEORGIA 30335-0310 OFFICE 404-330-6980 FAX 404-658-6553

DEPARTMENT OF
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT Robert J. Hunter Commissioner

Atlanta is known all over the world as the host city for the 1996 Olympics. The worldwide attention during the Olympic games put the spotlight on our city and attracted people who saw Atlanta as a great place to live, work and raise a family. As our city grows, so do the challenges facing the Department of Watershed Management, the agency responsible for providing drinking water and sewage collection and treatment services to our residents and businesses.

The Chattahoochee River, a small river by most standards, is metro Atlanta's principal drinking water source and also where wastewater is discharged once it is cleaned. Protecting this finite resource while making it available for potable water uses and recreation is important to sustaining the growth and prosperity our City has enjoyed. Over the next 14 years Atlanta's water systems will undergo major improvements. The Clean Water Atlanta Initiative will allow the City to continue to deliver safe and reliable drinking water and meet all state and federal water quality standards.

As our children become adults, it will become their responsibility to preserve the water resources that supports life in our city. It is important that they understand where their water comes from and the technologies that allow us to use the water then return it to the river so we can use it again. The urban curriculum and educational tools were developed to help teachers create an environment where these important lessons can be taught in an exciting and fun way.

This curriculum was created in partnership with Georgia Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) specifically for Atlanta educators with Atlanta specific water resource lessons for all disciplines. Students can enact the history in a play about Atlanta's wastewater system, build a delivery system model that supplies drinking water and collects wastewater from a community, or become "water" in a treatment plant and simulate the process as they move through a field of activities.

We hope that you will implement these engaging lessons and encourage today 's youth to become advocates for water resource preservation. Please contact the City ofAtlanta, Department of Watershed Management if you have questions or if we can provide other resources. Call404-330-6980 or email us at www.cleanwateratlanta.org.

Thank you,

Marilyn Johnson, Program Manager Public Involvement Office Department of Watershed Management

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Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Protection Division, Watershed Protection Branch 4220 International Parkway, Suite 101, Atlanta, Georgia 30354 Linda McGregor, P.E. Branch Chief Phone: 404/675-6240 Fax: 404/675-6245
Dear Educators,
Students and others in urban watersheds need to have an understanding of their water resources. When tJ:ley turn on the faucet and get a drink, they need to be able to trace their water from the river to the river. When they watch wastewater going down the drain, students should have a sense of their river and its watershed. The urban watershed is a unique system and consequently has particular issues that one needs to understand in order to be part of an informed citizenry. An informed citizenry works toward the best possible water quality for everyone in Atlanta and those who live downstream. By integrating The Urban Watershed, A Supplement for the Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) Curriculum and Activity Guide into classroom curriculum, 4-8th grade educators can be part of the solution.
Georgia Project WET, in partnership with the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management has developed this supplement especially for Atlanta Public School teachers and others in urban watersheds. Project WET activities have been adapted or extended on the topics of water and wastewater treatment, water quality standards, sewers, storrnwater, impervious surface, water delivery, the man-made water cycle, and water conservation and is based on the City ofAtlanta's water systems.
The Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide is a K-12tb grade international, interdisciplinary water education curriculum with coordinators in all fifty states. Headquartered in Bozeman, Montana the Watercourse, the national sponsor of WET, offers additional curriculum that support the activities in the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide. Project WET is a comprehensive curriculum covering many topics in water education such as Wetlands, Watersheds, Water Management, Urban Watershed and Nonpoint Source Pollution. The activities in The Urban Watershed Curriculum support the activities in the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide that have content and topics about the issues in an urban watershed. International Project WET has given copyright approval for Georgia Project WET to share the following lessons from The Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide in this supplement:
A-maze-ing Water- Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide Blue Traveler- Project WET Watershed Manager Wet Work Shuffle -Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide
It is my hope that teachers will utilize this resource that is based on actual community water issues and provide urban water education across the disciplines. We are anxious to know about the activities you are using with students and always appreciate photos and stories for the Georgia Project WET newsletter, The Dragonfly Gazette.

Please note that specific concepts went into the planning of the supplement. These concepts are listed in the conceptual framework for your reference.
If you are interested in a Project WET Urban Watershed workshop and in receiving The Urban Watershed Project WET Supplement, please contact Petey Giroux at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division.
We look forward to bringing this exciting new curriculum to you. For more information about Project WET USA and its existing programs and curriculum, visit www.projectwetusa.org
Thank you,
/2tu;4d~
Petey Giroux- Petey_Giroux@dnr.state.ga.us Project WET Coordinator Environmental Protection Division 4220 International Pkwy. Atlanta, GA, 30354 404-675-1638 Fax: 404-675-6245

lF\rms ~plash

Georgia Teachers and Students Pilot the Urban

Watershed Supplement for Georgia Project WET

Atlanta - Because of the time and dedication of many educators in Georgia, the Urban Watershed Supplement for the Project WET Curriculum is now available.

investigations that incorporate their communities. Research has shown that students in EIC programs improved their achievement and are more engaged in learning, while discipline, and absenteeism diminished.

Fifth Grade students from A.D. Williams Elementary also piloted Urban Watershed lessons during a Water Festival in Spring 2005.

No one twisted a single arm and still they came to workshops and conference sessions where Georgia Project WET and the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management piloted the Urban Watershed curriculum. The City of Atlanta's Centennial Place Elementary and Kimberly Elementary teachers came to a full day workshop to try out the lessons, to learn, and to offer their constructive criticism and suggestions. These teachers are involved in a model school program, "Using the Environment as an Integrating Context in Learning" (EIC). Fourteen schools in Georgia are using the environment to teach across disciplines engaging students in meaningful

Educators also came to a Georgia Project Learning Tree and Georgia Project WET Urban Forestry and Urban Watershed Facilitator
Workshop and provided valuable information on logistics and lesson adaptations for the Urban Watershed Supplement.
Georgia Project WET coordinators presented draft lessons from the Urban Watershed Supplement at a conference session at the Project WET USA Conference 2004 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Coordinators from many states participated and gave valuable feedback.
4th grade students from Centennial Place Elementary, a Georgia model EIC school and the Project WET School of the Year 2004 also did some piloting. They piloted the activity, "What is Your Standard" that contributed to the final version of this activity.

The Urban Watershed Educators Guide Georgia Project WET Supplement

Table ofContents
Urban Watershed Pre-Test and Post-Test ..........................~.......................................................... 1 Watersheds & Urban Watersheds ................................................................................................. 9 Georgia Spotlight ........................................................................................................................ 14 The Blue Traveler ........................................................................................................................ 20 A-maze-ing Water ...................................................................................................................... 42 Water Pollution on Trial .............................................................................................................. 48 Sewer System Soup ..................................................................................................................... 64 Greening the Asphalt .................................................................................................................. 87 Wet-Work Shuflle ..................................................................................................................... 115 Piped on Water.......................................................................................................................... 141 Just Pipe Up! ............................................................................................................................ 149 What Is Your Standard? ..........................;................................................................................. 159 River To River ........................................................................................................................... 174 The Ghosts ofWater Past ...................... ................................................................................... 223 Walk The Talk For Water.......................................................................................................... 235 Meter Reading : 242 Earth Friendly Household Cleaner ........................................................................................... 248 Storm Drain Stenciling Project ............................................................................. .................... 251 Rain Gardens and Rain Barrels ................................................................................................. 253 At a Glance Fact Sheet.............................................................................................................. 257 Web Resources .......................................................................................................................... 260 Urban Watershed Resources ............... ....................................................................................... 263 Georgia Water Resources ........................................................ .................................................. 264 Water Resources ........................................................................................................................ 267 Glossary..................................................................................................................................... 271
The Urban Watershed Educators Guide Georgia Project WET Supplement

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Conceptual Framework
The Urban Watershed
A Supplement to The Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide For Teachers in Atlanta and other metro areas
What is a Watershed? ~ Watersheds and Urban Watersheds ~ A Paper Watershed ~ The Blue Traveler
What is the Man-Made Water Cycle? ~ Just Pipe Up ~ The Blue Traveler ~ River to River
What is Stormwater? How Does It Impact Water Qyality? ~ A-maze-ing Water ~ Water Pollution on Trial ~ Sewer System Soup
What is Impervious Surface? ~ Greening the Asphalt
How is Water Delivered to and from Homes, Schools, and Businesses through a Constructed Watershed? ~ Wet Work Shuffle ~ Piped on Water ~ Just Pipe Up ~ Sewer System Soup
What are Water Qyality Standards and How Does Maintaining Water Quality Impact the Economy? ~ What is Your Standard?
What Processes are Used to Treat Drinking Water and Wastewater? ~ River to River
How HasAdanta's Wastewater System Changed OverTime? ~ The Ghosts ofWater Past
What Can Individuals Do to Conserve and Protect Water Resources? ~ Walk the Talk for Water
The Urban Watershed Educators Guide Georgia Project WET Supplement

Student Copy Page

Urban Watershed Pre-Test and Post-Test

Student Name----------Teacher Name ___________

Date ______

Circle the correct answer for questions 1 - 11 Qyestion 1: Mter water leaves your home and goes down the sink, it goes to the:
A. drinking water treatment plant B. river C. wastewater treatment plant D. sediment basin

Question 2:

An example of an impervious surface is alan: A. ocean B. soil C. pavement D. flower

Question 3:

Most people in the City of Atlanta receive their drinking water from this river. A. Flint B. Chattahoochee C. Tennessee D. Satilla

Qyestion 4:

What is the biggest problem with stormwater runoff, or water that drains into gutters and
flows straight into nearby water sources during heavy rainfall?
A. It makes people's yards dirty. B. It produces a nasty odor. C. It carries water pollution to nearby waterways. D. It releases diseases into the air.

Question 5:

What is a type of pollution that is hard to identify and originates some distance from the source? A. point B. snow melt C. nonpoint D. pine tree

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IS Student Copy Page

Qyestion 6:

What is one way you can help reduce nonpoint source pollution? A. Use as much water as possible. B. Throw your trash into a nearby waterway so it floats away. C. Don't throw trash out the car window. D. Ignore any leaking faucets in your house.

Qyestion 7:

Following the Civil War, the failure of original sewers to accommodate human waste resulted in what? A. foul smell B. disease C. water pollution D. all of the above

Qyestion 8:

Microbial, inorganic, organic, chemical, radioactive, pesticides and herbicides: These are

types of

that can be present in source water before treatment.

A. ingredients

B. contaminants

C. disinfectants

D. animals

Qyestion 9:

When talking about drinking water standards, contaminants are measured in ppm, which stands for: A. people per mile B. parts per million C. piles per month D. participation per mile

Question 10: Who is involved in setting the safety and quality standards for drinking water in Georgia? A. United States President B. Georgia's lifeguards C. school teachers D. Environmental Protection Agency

Qyestion 11: Which of the following Acts is a fundamental law that protects citizens concerning water quality? A. Safe Drinking Water Act B. Anti-Dirty Water Act C. Litter Prevention Act D. Muddy Water Act

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IS Student Copy Page

Q,!lestion 12: Organize the following terms into the correct order that water would flow through the drinking water treatment process. River (R), Raw Water Reservoir (RWR), Clear Wells (CW), Pumping Station (PS), Raw Pumping Station (RPS), Storage Tanks (ST), Water Treatment Plant (WTP)
R

Q,!lestion 13: Circle either True or False. Nonpoint source pollution is pollution that comes from a specific source, while point source pollution comes from many different sources.

TRUE

FALSE

Question 14: Fill in the blank. An environmental compliance officer brings citizens before a judge who are violating _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ laws.

Question 15: Circle either True or False. . A combined system has wastewater and stormwater routed together in the same pipe, while a separate system has sewage and stormwater in separate pipes.

TRUE

FALSE

Short Answer (Q,!lestions 16-20)

Question 16: Choose one step from the wastewater treatment process and give a brief description of it.

Steps: bar screening, grit chamber, drum screening, primary sedimentation tank, secondary treatment/aeration basin, secondary or final clarifier, effluent filters/filtration, UV Disinfection, post aerator

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ISStudent Copy Page
Question 17: Discuss the main difference between the Wastewater Treatment Process and the Drinking Water Treatment Process.
Qyestion 18: What does CSO stand for? Qyestion 19: When water changes from a liquid to a gas, the process is called: Qyestion 20: Name one area water can go in the man-made or constructed water cycle:

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Urban Watershed Pre-Test and Post-Test Teacher's Answer Sheet

Student Name ---------------------

Teacher Name ---------------------

Date -----------

Q,!lestion 1:

Circle the correct answer for questions 1 - 11 Mter water leaves your home and goes down the sink, it goes to the: A. drinking water treatment plant B. river C. wastewater treatmentplant D. sediment basin

Question 2:

An example of an impervious surface is alan: A. ocean B. soil C. pavement D. flower

Q,!lestion 3:

Most people in the City of Atlanta receive their drinking water from this river. A. Flint B. Chattahoochee C. Tennessee D. Satilla

Question 4:

What is the biggest problem with stormwater runoff, or water that drains into gutters and flows straight into nearby water sources during heavy rainfall?
A. It makes people's yards dirty.
B. It produces a nasty odor. C. It carries waterpollution to nearby waterways. D. It releases diseases into the air.

Q,!lestion 5:

What is a type of pollution that is hard to identify and originates some distance fi:om the source? A. point B. snow melt C.nonpoint D. pine tree

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Qyestion 6:

What is one way you can help reduce nonpoint source pollution? A. Use as much water as possible. B. Throw your trash into a nearby waterway so it floats away. C. Don't throw trash out the car window. D. Ignore any leaking faucets in your house.

Question 7:

Following the Civil War, the failure of original sewers to accommodate human waste resulted in what? A. foul smell B. disease
C. water pollution
D. AU ofthe Above

Qyestion 8:

Microbial, inorganic, organic, chemical, radioactive, pesticides and herbicides: These are

types of

that can be present in source water before treatment.

A. ingredients

B. contaminants

C. disinfectants

D. animals

Qyestion 9:

When talking about drinking water standards, contaminants are measured in ppm, which stands for: A. people per mile B. partsper million C. piles per month D. participation per mile

Qyestion 10: Who is involved in setting the safety and quality standards for drinking water in Georgia? A. United States President B. Georgia's lifeguards C. school teachers D. Environmental Protection Agency

Qyestion 11: Which of the following Acts is a fundamental law that protects citizens concerning water quality? A. Safe Drinking Water Act B. Anti-Dirty Water Act C. Litter Prevention Act D. Muddy Water Act

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_________________________________________,_~ _

Qyestion 12: Organize the following terms into the correct order that water would flow through the drinking water treatment process.
River (R), Raw Water Reservoir (RWR), Clear Wells (CW), Pumping Station (PS), Raw Pumping Station (RPS), Storage Tanks (ST), Water Treatment Plant (WTP)

R

cw PS

ST

Qyestion 13: Circle either True or False.

Nonpoint source pollution is pollution that comes from a specific source, while point source

pollution comes from many different sources.

TRUE

@

Qyestion 14: Fill in the blank. An environmental compliance officer brings citizens before a judge who are violating environmental laws.

Qyestion 15: Circle either True or False.

A combined system has wastewater and stormwater routed together in the same pipe, while

a separate system has sewage and stormwater in separate pipes.

@

FALSE

ShortAnswer(Qyestions 16-20)

Qyestion 16: Choose one step from the wastewater treatment process and give a brief description of it.

Steps: bar screening {rid ofdebris), grit chamber {solids settle to the bottom), drum screening {rid q,fsmall debris), primary sedimentation tank {smallparticles settle), secondary treatment/ aeration basin (pxygen is added and microorganisms eat contaminants), secondary or final clarifier {slumfJs settle to the bottom), effluent filters filtration {removes final fJarticles), UV Disinfection {uv light disables microorganisims), post aerator (adds oxygen to the water).

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Q!lestion 17: Discuss the main difference between the Wastewater Treatment Process and the Drinking Water Treatment Process. The Drinking Water Treatment treats raw waterfrom the river before itgoes to homes, schools and businessesfor drinking and Wastewater Treatment treats used waterfrom homes, schools, and businesses before itgoes hack to the river.
Q!Iestion 18: What does CSO stand for? Combined Sewer Overflow
Q!iestion 19: When water changes from a liquid to a gas, the process is called:
Evaf..Joration
Q!Iestion 20: Name one area water can go in the man-made or constructed water cycle: (Blue Traveler) wastewater, recreation, water treatment, well, desalinization, urban, irrigation, rural, septic system, industry

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Watersheds & Urban Watersheds

What is a Watershed?
A watershed is a drainage system. It is the land area from which water, sediment, and dissolved materials drain to a common point along a stream, wetland, lake, or river. The area that water drains is called a drainage basin. There are 14 major river basins in Georgia. (See the River Basin map included) Every body ofwater, including Atlanta's water source, the Chattahoochee River, has a drainage basin and a system that is part of a watershed. Its boundaries are marked by the highest points ofland around the waterbody called ridges. When it rains, the water hits the ridge and runs one direction into one drainage basin, or it can flow into another drainage basin if the flow leaves the ridge on the other side. Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes and can include homes, parks, cities, farms, lakes, and forests. Watersheds cross county, state, and international borders. They can be as large as the Chattahoochee River watershed or as small as the stream's watershed in your backyard. It doesn't matter how far you live from a stream, river, or lake, you live in a watershed. Everyone
lives in a watershed. An easy way to determine which
watershed you live in is to visit the EP.Ns "SurfYour Watershed" web site at www.epa.gov/sur3.
A watershed is an important part of the water system. Its characteristics such as soil type, climate, topography, vegetation, and rock formations - determine how water flows. For example, an area ofland with a steep topography may produce heavy runoff (water that flows across surfaces rather than soaking in) when rainfall occurs, while runoff in a heavily vegetated area with a flat terrain may be slow, allowing water to percolate into the ground. These qualities, in turn, affect the flow of rivers, lakes, and streams.

River. The Chattahoochee River is one of the smallest watersheds in the nation serving a population center of this size and is considered to be an endangered river by many scientists.
In its first 100 miles through North Georgia the river drops 2,400 feet. It gains momentum as it flows swiftly through streambeds and riffling pools. According to Jerry Hightower with the National Park Service Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, "The Chattahoochee River begins in the Chattahoochee National Forest as a small spring on the south side of]acks Knob Mountain 200 yards due South of Chattahoochee Gap on the Appalachian Trail in the Mark Trail Wilderness. Then the river flows through the forest to the mountain town of Helen and crosses the Dahlonega Plateau, eventually entering Lake Lanier (Hightower, 2005)." When it leaves the lake at Buford Dam, the river begins its journey through Metropolitan Atlanta and flows through the city of Atlanta. The river takes a southwesterly path as it travels through Atlanta and through middle Georgia. As the river flows through Atlanta it moves through pipes, pumping stations and through treatment plants where the river becomes part of a man-made water cycle. At LaGrange and West Point Lake, the Chattahoochee River flows for 160 miles along the boundary between Georgia and Alabama before combining with the Flint River and becoming the Appalachicola River at the Georgia-Florida border and then emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. This river system is referred to as the Appalachicola, Chattahoochee, Flint Basin or the ACF. In all, the Chattahoochee watershed encompasses a drainage area of 8,770 square miles. Some of this area, 2,830 miles, is in Alabama.

Students should be familiar with their watershed address and know the source of their drinking water and where their wastewater goes. If you live in Atlanta, chances are you are part of the Chattahoochee Watershed and you get your drinking water from the Chattahoochee

The Chattahoochee (Creek Indian word for "river of the painted rocks") River and watershed has a rich history and has been shaped by human activity over time. Human beings for thousands ofyears lived and prospered within the Chattahoochee watershed from

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Paleo to Historic times. Persons of European and African heritage found the river important for travel, commerce and farming. By harnessing the power of the water, industry was developed along the Chattahoochee River and its tributaries, from tiny grist mills to huge textile manufacturing companies. In the early 1800s the first Gold Rush in the United States occurred at the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River. Today this river is Adanta's primary source of drinking water and provides power and recreation to residents. Wildlife like the Blue Heron, beaver, muskrat, Bass and Kingfisher also depend on the river.
What is an Urban Watershed?
An urban watershed is a type ofwatershed where water moves through an urban area. Urban watersheds are often dominated by increased impervious surface that increases peak flows and result in channel enlargement. "Research has shown that impervious cover of as litde as 10-15 percent of a watershed can have significant adverse effects on channel conditions. Bankfull flood events are common and flooding may occur more often (Schueler, 1996). In an urban watershed water is cleaned and treated for use by residents and businesses, treated and cleaned again, and returned to the river. People have built pipes, pumping stations, wells, storage tanks and treatment facilities to move water from the river to our homes, schools, and businesses and back to the river again. Treatment facilities use modem technologies to do what nature does naturally when water percolates through the soil layers, rock, gravel, and sand that act as natural filters, cleaning the water.
The natural water cycle is altered in an urban watershed because there is less green space for percolation and more hard surfaces like buildings, roads, and parking lots. Impervious surfaces do not allow rain to penetrate through the soil to be filtered of contaminants and also do not allow for groundwater supplies to be recharged. Instead contaminants are carried by stormwater runoff to the nearest body ofwater. Natural surfaces that once absorbed water and recharged groundwater supplies are now hard surfaces that do not allow rainwater to percolate through the soil. As Adanta grows and spreads outward, more and more streams, especially

small tributaries feeding direcdy into the river, are transformed into urban streams. Tributaries flow faster than streams and are generally smaller. They enter a stream at an angle less than 90 degrees and this angle points to the direction of stream flow. Urban streams are dominated by increased erosion and sedimentation that threatens the aquatic habitat degrading water quality. Heavily populated areas add point and nonpoint source pollution to the river also degrading water quality.
Urban tributaries such as Nancy, Peachtree, Lullwater, Intrenchment, Rottenwood, Sweetwater, March, Nickajack, Olley, Noses, Sope, Crooked, Long Island, Utoy, Powder Springs, Morning, Whitewater, Ball Mill, Camp, Deep, Bear, Litde Bear, Proctor, and Peavine are under pressure from erosion and sediment, and other point and nonpoint source pollutants. When a pipe in an industrial park leaks or drips a chemical in the river, it is called a point source because you can point to it and know where the pollution is coming from. Nonpoint source pollution comes from everywhere and is everyone's responsibility. Often it travels great distances from its origin and is therefore difficult to identify. Pollutants from roads include gas, oil, antifreeze and even litter. Chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides used on lawns, gardens, and golf courses can add pressures to urban streams. Animal waste and sewage overflows further degrade water quality. The total combination of all the pollutants is called a total maximum daily load orTMDL. This means the total amount of point and nonpoint source pollution that the waterbody is allowed to receive and still meet water quality standards. These impacts result from transportation, commercial, residential and industrial land uses.
The cumulative result of these changes in an urban watershed means an increase in the volume of runoff to streams, wedands, and rivers. These increased flows in surface waters produce a greater velocity and higher peak flows that can result in flooding. More people means more pollutants for the river and the process to clean the water for drinking and wastewater to return to the river becomes more challenging. Learning about the urban watershed can provide students with awareness

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8 Student Copy Page

and help students find ways to protect their water resources and be able to take part in improving water quality in the Chattahoochee watershed. Today water protection encourages a watershed approach in Georgia. Watershed alliances are becoming part of the solution to water protection and management. It takes everyone's involvement and concern to keep Georgia's waters healthy.
Tributary Awareness:
The tributaries are like the veins in your body that carry blood to arteries transporting it to every part of your body. The tributaries are small but carry water swiftly to a stream. Without the tributaries there would not be a stream or a river. Have your students locate the tributaries to the Chattahoochee River on a Georgia map. Ask students in teams to recreate the Chattahoochee River, its tributaries, and streams. Remember to place the tributaries coming into the streams and river at angles less than 90 degrees to indicate the flow toward the Gulf ofMexico. Label the tributaries and use arrows to show the direction of the flow.
Some of the tributaries that become streams in the Adanta Metro Area are listed below: Sweetwater, Intrenchment, March, Crooked, Long Island, Rottenwood, Sope, Nancy, Peachtree, Nickajack, Olley, Noses, Utoy North and South, Powder Springs, Morning, Whitewater, Deep, Camp, Bear, Litde Bear, Ball Mill, Peavine, Lullwater, Proctor

Tribute to the Tribs Song
Key:C

c

F

What makes a nver do you know?

G

c

What makes the nver flow?

c

G

Am

From the moun- tains to the sea

F

c

G c

It's the Tri- bu- tar- ies that makes the river flow.

C

G

The Tribs are very cool you see.

G

C

They have bran - ches like a tree.

C

Am

F

C

In a water - shed they fill up the stream bed;

C

G

C

A stream becomes a river, be - comes a sea.

C

G

You live m a water - shed,

G

C

the Chat - ta - hoo - chee water - shed

C

F

Am

C

From a moun-tain stream, to city pipes it can be seen;

C

G

C

A stream becomes a river, becomes a sea.

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- - - - - - -- - ----~---

A great way to teach students the concept of a watershed is to build it with a paper model This is a quick and easy way to give students a visual of the watershed concept.
Materials:
~ Scrap paper from the school recycling box ~ Markers (soluble) blue for the ridges, streams and
tributaries ~ Soluble marking pens in various colors ~ Small bathroom cups or aluminum containers ~ Blue Tempera paint mixed with water or spray
bottles filled with water ~ Plastic spoons ~ Newspaper or aluminum pan to catch the paint and
water
1. Give each student a piece of paper from the recycled paper box. Ask students to look .at their watershed property and use their markers and write an H for the location of their home, an S for the location of their school, G for grocery store and M for the Shopping Mall. Use colors other than blue (figure 1).
2. Tell your students that they are going to make the land shapes or topography of their property come alive. Have them crumple up the paper in their hand and then slightly pull it apart so that it makes a land form (figure 2). Place the paper landform on the foil pan they have made on the newspaper on their desk. Is everyone's land shape the same or are they different?

down and look at their landforms from different angles to determine the highest mountain ridges that will create drainage basins and systems (figure 3).
5. Have students drip the tempera paint on the ridges of the highest mountains and they will get to watch the tributaries and streams form, eventually forming rivers, lakes, and possibly an ocean. Have them continJJe to drip paint on the highest mountain ridges until the paint is gone and rivers and lakes have formed on their landform (figure 4).
Another way to do this is to fill plastic spray bottles with water and have them use a blue soluble marker to color the highest ridges, tributaries and streams across their landform. The markers will run when the water is sprayed on them and will create rivers and lakes. Ifyou use the plastic spray bottles you can also have them use different marker colors to mark their home, mall, grocery store and school. When the marker runs from these places into the watershed you can discuss contaminants that get in the water from activities in these places.
6. If rain travels down one side of the mountain the rain will be in one watershed and if the rain travels down the other side of the mountain it is in a different watershed. There are also smaller watersheds in larger watersheds.
7. Ask students what makes the water move down the mountains. (gravity, wind)
8. Has anyone built their home, school, or shopping mall in a flood plain? Is it a good idea to know something about watersheds before you build?

3. Give each student a cup of mixed tempera paint in the cup and a plastic spoon. Make sure the water will
drip. It should not be thick.

9. What ideas do the students have to keep the watershed healthy? List them on the board or flip chart

4. Ask each student to locate their highest mountain ridges where the rain will touch first. Where are their second highest mountain ridges? The ridges will form a divide and rain will fall on one side of the divide or on the other side of the divide. Students may have to stoop

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Sources:
http:/I negeorgia.com/naturally/chattahoochee02.html http://wsfa.iewatershed.com/index.php?pagename=ow_watershed_chattahoochee chipola_ http://www. ucriverkeeper.org/EducationW a t e r s h e d /apalacicola.s h t m l http://www.rversofalabama.org/Chattahoochee/CHATT_Physical_Description.htm http://www.gdrc.org/uem/waterlwatershed/introduction.html Council of State Governments. Working at a Watershed Level, chapter 7 "Watershed Management and Restoration Practices" pgs. 59-63. 1999. http://www.epa.gov/sur3. Hightower, Jerry. 2005. Personal Discussion. Environmental Education Coordinator. Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. National Park Service.

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Georgia Spotlight

Georgia Rivers: Chattahoochee River Teaching Conservation 2004 Georgia Conservancy Karen Garland Part 4 of a 4 part series- Focus on the 14 Georgia river basins. www.georgiaconservancy.org
As a state dominated by a system of rivers and streams that empty into a series of coastal estuaries, water has been a defining factor in Georgia's growth and development. The landscape has been continually sculpted by its 14 major river basins with more than 70,150 miles of streambed. Except for the Savannah, Tennessee, and Coosa rivers the headwaters of these rivers are entirely within the state. Approximately half of the river systems eventually drain into one of the estuaries found along Georgia's 100 miles of coast.
It is difficult to fully appreciate how much water has
shaped the state until you see a Georgia map on which vegetation, cities, and roads have been stripped away, leaving only the natural topography. Water is the great integrator, linking and melding our five distinct regions from the mountains to the ocean (Cumberland Plateau, Blue Ridge, Ridge and Valley, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain). Just as impressive are the vast quantities ofwater hidden beneath the ground in a system of intermeshed aquifers. The influence of the state's four major and four minor aquifers has been subtle and often unrecognized, except in recent times. The debate over the, Savannah harbor deepening for example and the impact it will have on the Floridan aquifer by allo~ng salt water to intrude into this fresh water source has heightened awareness of the importance of the state's aquifers.
Ever since the first human settler forded a river and stepped onto Georgia soil, water has shaped the state's economic and political development. Rivers and bays were the first highways; every great city in the state grew .where it did because ofwater. Water nurtured wildlife, the land, and the people.

However, across Georgia, people also drained the bottornlands to harvest the trees and farm the rich soil. While this has produced timber and agricultural products, it has also destroyed many naturally occurring benefits of these riparian areas, including the cycling of nutrients, flood buffering, and natural treatment of agricultural, industrial, and human wastes. It also has eliminated important wildlife habitat.
What we now think of as "natural" in many cases is far from it. Historically, Georgia has no naturally occurring large lakes. Today, however, Georgia has the highest density of dams in the Southeast. The 1998 Environmental Protection Agency's National Dam Inventory showed 4,435 reservoirs and impoundments in the state created by dams 6 feet or higher. Other studies indicate the number could be as high as 65,000 when including farm ponds and the many small impoundments on tributaries. We care about the quantity of these reservoirs because they eliminate a percentage of natural flowing stream habitat essential to many of our endemic or native fishes by creating laketype habitat that is warmer.
Currently, surface water accounts for about 80 percent of the state's water use. In north Georgia, groundwater is not as easily accessible as in the southern part of the state. For example, in and around metropolitan Atlanta, 85 percent of the water supply comes from the surface water sources of the Chattahoochee River, the Etowah River, Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona. The Chattahoochee River alone provides more than half of Atlanta's water requirements. According to the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, both population and water supply demands in the Atlanta region could double by 2035.
As more communities in Georgia and across the country are discovering, water quality and water supply have a significant and sometimes controlling effect on growth. Local governments and even neighboring states now

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compete for drinking water sources and wastewater discharge capacity. Federal and state regulations controlling water are becoming increasingly stringent. Growth and economic development must be managed so as not to overconsume or destroy our natural resources. The many competing demands on our water resources can create a critical situation if not addressed in a timely and effective manner.
Why is natural flow in trouble?
Discharges from land-based urban, industrial, mining and agricultural activities affect water and sediment quality, habitat structure, biodiversity and food webs, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as the general use of the water bodies for activities such as tourism and recreation. The instream flow of many Georgia rivers is being dramatically altered and the diversity of fish and wildlife species is suffering because of the excessive diversions to serve the demands of agriculture, hydropower, and growing cities.
~ Dams and associated diversions can transform a perennial stream into an intermittent one, change the stream ecology above the dam to reflect that of a lake, block the path of migrating fish, damage fish spawning gravels, deprive estuaries of needed fresh water, and reduce sediment nourishment ofcoastal beaches.
~ Growing cities are taking more water from riyers to quench the thirsts of homes and businesses without consideration to what is needed to sustain aquatic orgarusms
~ As towns grow, more and more of the watersheds become impervious. This means the ground, covered with buildings and paved roads and parking lots, can't absorb rainwater. Instead ofgradually seeping into the ground under natural conditions where one could expect less than 1% runoff, the water rushes over the surface and floods the nearest stream. Under suburban and residential conditions one can expect from 20 to 40 % runoff and anywhere from SG-80% runoff under urban conditions. This runoff increases stream velocity and causes erosion. In many cases, this huge influx ofwater is laden with oil and other contaminants.
~ Excessive logging can also cause water and sediments to reach streams more rapidly. A forested

hillside is like a giant sponge. Remove the trees and rainwater, along with a good deal of mud, will rip down the hillside and flood a nearby stream. Add roads to the mix and you'll get even bigger landslides. ~ Channelization of a river to facilitate navigation or to provide flood control destroys a river's natural meanders. This process of straightening and deepening the river increases the velocity of flows. It also makes it harder for the river and its wedands to absorb floodwaters.
Georgia's rivers are in need of protection. What can we do to help?
~ Never dump anything down a storm drain or drainage ditch.
~ Recycle motor oil and other vehicle fluids. ~ Throw litter in its place. ~ Clean up your pet's waste and dispose of properly. ~ Check your vehicles for leaks and repair them. ~ Reduce the amount of household hazardous wastes
generated in your home and school. ~ Compost yard clippings. ~ Use fertilizers and pesticides only when needed
(Read the label!) ~ If you wash your vehicle at home, do so on the lawn
rather than on pavement. ~ Get involved: find out where creeks, streams, ponds,
and wedands exist near your home or school and try to learn more about them. ~ Support agencies and private organizations that deal with water issues. ~ Purchase federal duck stamps from your local post office to support wedand acquisitions. ~ Encourage neighbors, developers, and state and local governments to protect the function and value of creeks, streams, ponds and wedands in your watershed. ~ In Georgia you can participate in Adopt-a-Stream and/or Adopt-a-Wedand programs (http://www. riversalive.org/aas.htm) ~ For a great companion curriculum to the Urban Watershed see Georgia Conservancy's "Native Waters curriculum. www.georgiaconservancy.org

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River Basin: Chattahoochee River
The most generally accepted name for the river comes from the 1799 travel log of Benjamin Hawkins, an Indian agent: "The name is derived from "Chatto", a stone and "hoche", marked or flowered.
The Chattahoochee River originates in the southeast corner ofUnion County as a spring fittingly named "Chattahoochee Gap," little more than a trickle of water at 3200 feet near Brasstown Bald (the highest point in Georgia). Eventually streams from Habersham, Lumpkin, Rabun, Towns, Union, and White counties broaden its flow as it falls over 100 miles and almost 2400 feet following the erodible rock of the Brevard Fault Zone to form one of the most important lakes in the southeast, Lake Lanier (38,000 acres and 540 miles of shoreline), which provides water and recreation for millions of Georgians.
The river continues to flow southwesterly through metro Atlanta and ten more constructed dams, includ-
ing Lakes West Point and Walter F. George before
terminating in Lake Seminole at the Georgia-Florida border for a total distance of 434 miles (8770 square miles). As the river crosses the Georgia-Florida border, it joins the Flint River to form the Apalachicola River, which flows on to the Gulf ofMexico (Apalachicola Bay produces 90 percent of Florida's and 13 percent of the Nation's oyster harvest, and functions as a nursery for shrimp, blue crabs and a variety of fin fish.) .

The future of this river rests on the shoulders of concerned Georgians. Legislators are currently looking for solutions to our lack ofwater resources in the metro Atlanta area. One ongoing effort towards helping the health of the river is the future establishment of a 180mile greenway along the banks of the Chattahoochee from Helen to Columbus. With some 500 feet of park space protecting both sides of the river, this initiative would be one of the longest river parks in the country.
Fast Facts
~ 110 species offish (of269 fishes in Georgia), of which 10 introduced and 1 is endemic
~ 24 species of freshwater aquatic turtles ~ 27 species of salamanders and sirens ~ 30 species of frogs and toads ~ 5 species of mussels-historically 30 were known to
exist, but the number has dramatically declined due to damming, poor land use practices, and pollution. ~ 9 species of threatened or endangered plants

The Chattahoochee River has been named one of the most endangered rivers in the United States due to poor water quality, which has resulted from sprawling development and growth. The more than 4 million residents ofAtlanta who utilize the river's water drain over 300 million gallons per day to use for drinking, bathing, washing, and watering. Because the Chattahoochee River's watershed is the smallest in the nation to serve such a large population, this river is being used to the brink of its extinction.

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Chattahoochee River Basin

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Georgia's 14 Major River Basins

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Georgia's 52 Major Watersheds

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The Blue Traveler

Grade Level: 4-8
Subject Areas: Earth Science
Duration:
Preparation: 50 minutes
Activity time: Part I 50 minutes Part ll 50 minutes
Setting: A large room or playing field
Skills: Organize, Analyze, Interpret
Vocabulary: electromagnetic forces, condensation, hydrologic cycle, evaporation, aquifer, groundwater, transpiration

How can water be moving up, down, and all around?
Summary
With a roll of the die, students simulate the movement ofwater within and between natural and constructed systems.
Objectives
Students will: ~ Identify water users in natural and constructed systems. ~ Describe specifically the movement ofwater within and between natural and constructed systems for urban and rural use. ~ Discuss how understanding water's movement on the planet supports water conservation measures.
Materials
~ 19 large pieces of paper (for Part I and Part II) ~ Marking pens ~ 19 boxes, about 6 inches (15 em) on a side (Boxes are used to make dice for
the game. Gift boxes used for coffee mugs are a good size, or you can inquire at your local mailing outlet for suitable boxes. There will be one die [or box] per station of the water cycle. The labels for the sides of the dice are located in the Water Cycle Table. These labels represent the options for pathways that water can follow.) ~ Copies ofWaterJourney Map, Part I and Part II Student Copy Pages
Optional Materials
~ Beads, 19 different colors or shapes (see Part I, step 7) ~ 19 small containers to hold beads ~ Twine or string, cut in 12" lengths (one per student)
Background
The pathways that water follows are part of the hydrologic cycle. Heated by the sun, water evaporates from oceans, rivers, lakes and soil; water transpired from plants also rises into the air. Cooled in the atmosphere, water condenses. It falls as rain, snow, or hail to earth, where it can seep into the ground and become ground water, evaporate again from the land, be absorbed by the roots of plants, quench the thirst of animals, or rush or meander in rivers on a course to the sea.
During this incredible journey water can assume the form of solid, liquid, or vapor (gas). The chemical structure ofwater-two atoms ofhydrogen and one atom of oxygen-and the molecules' orientation to each other determine the state ofwater.

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-------------------------------------------~ - -

' .: - 0 . '
- . --_.,... ______-_ ~..--.:::- ..~:~ .. ,. ~ -:~- ;:_- ._-- . =

The hydrologic cycle

Partnered with gravity and other forces, water as a solid, liquid, or gas is a powerful agent of change. Expanding when it freezes, water exerts enough pressure to fracture rock. Raindrops can release tremendous energy. In driving rainstorms, droplets falling on unprotected lands can loosen tons of soil. Runoff carries these sediments into streams and rivers that may eventually find their way to the sea. Beach sand that you sift through your fingers may once have been part of a mountaintop.
Although snow contains less water than rain, snowpack functions like a water bank, and is important in the water cycle. When snow in the high country melts in late spring, the runoff swells streams and rivers and recharges ground water.
Although unseen, water's most dramatic movements take place in its gaseous phase. Water is constandy
evaporating-changing from a liquid to a gas. As a vapor,
it travels through the atmosphere over Earth's surface. In fact, water vapor surrounds us all the time. Where it will condense and return to Earth depends on loss ofheat energy, on gravity, and on the structure of Earth's surface.
The water cycle connects all living and nonliving things on Earth. Living organisms help move water. Humans

and other animals carry water within their bodies and transport it from one location to another. Water is either direcdy consumed by animals or is removed from foods during digestion. Water is excreted as a liquid or leaves the body as a gas, usually through respiration. When water is present on the skin (for example as a perspiration, evaporation may occur.
Plants, too, take from and contribute to the hydrologic cycle. Water makes up 80 to 90 percent of the weight of herbaceous (green leafY) plants, and about 50 percent of the weight ofwoody plants. Where temperatures favor plant growth, the availability ofwater is one of the main factors that determines the distribution of plants. Through transpiration, plants give offwater to the atmosphere through pores on their leaves. Plants give up 95 percent of the water they absorb; the remaining 5 percent is used for growth and maintenance. The greatest movers ofwater among living organisms are plants.
Humans have created additional pathways for water to follow in its journey on the planet. For example, water is often supplied for urban use, from a public water supply system. That is, water is withdrawn from large wells or is removed from surface waters such as lakes or rivers. This water is generally treated regardless ofwhere it

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comes from (surface or ground water). The degree of treatment depends upon the condition of the water. For example, in some areas, ground water from wells is only treated with small quantities of chlorine gas. This priceless kills microorganisms that may occur in water lines. However, if surface water is used and it contains silt, algae, microorganisms or other mat.erials, a more elaborate and costly cleaning process is required.
Water is prepared for drinking and other uses in a water treatment plant and generally includes the following steps:

and rocks. (This imitates the filtration of ground water through layers of sand, gravel, rock, and other materials in nature.)
5. Chlorination: To kill any bacteria that may still be in
the water, chlorine gas is added in small amounts.
After treatment water may be stored in large tanks. Upon demand it moves through water mains or large underground pipes to residences, businesses, industrial complexes, etc.

1. Aeration: In this process the water is sprayed into the air to release trapped gases and also to absorb oxygen. This generally improves the taste ofwater. 2. Coagulation: A chemical known as alum is added and mixed into the water. Mter a certain amount of time, alum breaks into small cohesive particles that are called floc. Does it seem contradictory to add more chemicals to water to clean it? The point of this addition is that dirt suspended in the water sticks to the floc. 3. Sedimentation: The water is allowed to stand (contained with almost no movement) to provide an opportunity for particles of dirt and floc to become heavy and finally to settle to the bottom of the tank. The cleaner water above the sediment is drawn off. 4. Filtration: To remove any other impurities, the water is then passed through layers of charcoal, sand, gravel,
Water storage tanks hold treated water for city and residential use.

But what happens to this water after use? Years ago, wastewater was returned directly to rivers and streams. At that time, the volume ofwastewater could be accommodated by natural systems. The small amount ofwaste was diluted by the great amount of fresh water. Also, dissolved oxygen, bacteria, and other organisms acted on the sewage to turn it into mostly harmless products.
However, the quantity ofwastewater has greatly increased and the composition ofwastewater has changed. Therefore, after use, water is generally treated in wastewater treatment plants.
The process used in contemporary wastewater treatment plants is similar to the natural process by which water is cleaned while moving through the water cycle. The simplest form ofwastewater treatment (primary treatment) involves filtration and settling procedures. In addition, waste materials that float are skimmed from the top. Primary techniques remove 45 to 50 percent of pollutants. Most developed countries have a secondary process ofwastewater treatment. Secondary treatment, mainly a biological process, removes between 85-90 percent ofremaining pollutants. Helpful microorganisms consume most of the waste materials in aerator tanks. Solids and microorganisms are separated from the wastewater in secondary settling tanks. Adding a disinfectant (such as chlorine) kills any remaining disease-causing organisms. The water is released from the treatment plant into nearby waterways. Some plants even have a third stage ofwastewater treatment that removes small amounts of undesirable materials such as nitrates, phosphates, and heavy metals.

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,~17(
--------------------------------------------~~~

In many areas, depending upon the degree of treatment, wastewater is being used for diverse purposes. Often called reclaimed water, this is wastewater which has been treated to a level that is acceptable for specific applications. These applications include: watering of golf courses, athletic fields, and parks; cooling and processing in industrial systems; irrigation of animal feed crops, cotton, and trees; recharging ground water aquifers; and in some cases, for drinking water.

However, many people do not get their water from public water supply systems. Instead, their water is provided by private household wells. In addition to providing water to residences, well water is also used for irrigating crops, watering livestock, cooling equipment and processing in industrial and commercial operation, and irrigating lawns. (Wells are also drilled to monitor groundwater.)

Wells are

constructed by

professionals

who use special

machines called

well-drilling rigs.

Wells are drilled

into an aquifer.

Wells depth

varies, but wells

can be as much

as 600-800 feet

deep. Electric pumps are used to bring up the

Water naturally contains organisms that cause disease and must be removed in the treatment process.

water through pipes into private homes. In many cases,

this water is directly removed from the aquifer and

consumed without treatment. In these situations, it is a

good idea to have the well water tested periodically to

insure that it is still safe to drink. Consumers can get

information from their state health departments to find

out how often they should have their well water sampled

and tested.

What happens to well water after it is used by the consumer? If public sewer lines are not available, it is

the responsibility of homeowners to treat their own wastewater. On-site sewage disposal is defined as "the treatment and disposal of sewage on the same property as the residence." These systems should remove pollutants and disease-causing organisms before wastewater is introduced back into ground and surface waters.
How does a septic system accomplish these objectives? A septic system is compromised of a septic tank and a soil absorption area. Wastewater from the residence flows into the septic tank. In the tank organic solids in the wastewater float to the surface and form a layer called scum. Bacteria act on these solids and convert them to a liquid. Inorganic material sinks to the bottom of the tank and forms a layer called sludge. Between the layers of scum and sludge, clear water passes through the outlet pipe to the soil absorption area. Here the water passes through a filtering system. Leaching fields, filter beds, and cesspools are types of filtering systems.
Individuals can help protect the quality of the water that will enter the natural water cycle by monitoring their septic system. The following may be indicators of septic system failure:
~ Water drains slowly from the home ~ Plumbing backs up ~ Pipes and drains emit a gurgling sound ~ The grass is greener over the septic system
Every few years, homeowners should practice routine maintenance of their septic system by having sludge removed.
As water moves through and connects natural and constructed systems, we recognize the need that all water users have for water of the right quality and quantity, at the right time and cost. Urban and rural dwellers require water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and watering of lawns and gardens. Agriculturists and ranchers need water for their livestock and irrigation of the fruits, vegetables, and grains we consume. Industrialists use water to produce the materials and goods we use. Energy producers generate the power for the production of goods and the comfort of our homes. Fish and wildlife require clean and abundant water for their survival and

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proliferation. Recreationists depend on water resources for canoeing; rafting, fishing, surfing, skiing, and other activities that renew the human spirit. As all water users recognize their dependence on this resource, protecting water quality and quantity makes social, economic, and ecological good sense!
Procedure
WannUp
Ask students to take out a piece of paper and illustrate how they think water moves on ~e planet. Ask them to identifY the different places water can go as it moves through and around Earth and, if possible; to indicate the processes that occur (condensation, evaporation, transpiration). Remind them to include not only the "natural cycle," but also where humans have added to that cycle. As students are drawing, walk around and observe their work. Many students are likely to draw the "water circle": water rains from the clouds, falls onto the land, runs off into the ocean, and evaporates back into the clouds.
Mter students have completed their drawings, ask them to identifY the different places they indicated that water can go. Discuss with them the process of condensation, evaporation, and transpiration.
The Activity
Part I
1. Tell the students they are going to become water molecules moving through the natural water cycle.
2. Categorize the places through which water can move into nine stations: clouds, plants, animals, rivers, oceans, lakes, groundwater, soil, and glaciers. Write these names on large pieces of paper and put them in locations around the room or field. (On a windy day, choose students to hold the station signs and help others to move through the cycle. Students may enjoy making the station signs and illustrating them.)
3. Either assign an even number of students to each station (except for the cloud station) or have all students start in the clouds. Have students identifY the different places to which water can travel from the

station they were assigned in the water cycle. Discuss the conditions that cause the water to move. Explain that water movement depends on energy from the sun, electromagnetic energy, and gravity. Sometimes water will not move anywhere. Mter students have generated lists of possible destinations, have each group share their work. Have students compare the die that has been prepared for their station with the lists they wrote. The. Water Cycle Table provides an explanation ofwater movements from each station.
4. Have students discuss the form in which water moves from one place to another (i.e., solid, liquid, or gas). In most cases water will be moving in its liquid form. However, any time water moves to the clouds, it is in the form ofwater vapor, with molecules moving rapidly and apart from each other.
5. Tell students that they will be demonstrating water's movement from one location to another. When they move as liquid water, they will be moving in pairs to represent many water molecules bonded together in a water drop. When they move to the clouds (evaporate), they will separate from their partners and move alone as individual water molecules. When water condenses and rains from the clouds, each student will grab a partner and move to the next location.
6. In this game a roll of the die indicates where the water will go. Students line up at the nine different stations. At the cloud station they should be in single file; at all other stations they should line up in pairs. Students roll the die and go to the location indicated on the label facing up. If they roll "stay", they move to the back of the line. In the clouds, students roll the die individually, but ifthey leave the clouds they grab a partner (the person immediately behind them) and move to the next station; the partner does not roll the die.
7. Students should keep track of their movements. Before beginning the simulation, provide a copy of the
Water Journey Map, Part I. Ask students to draw lines
showing their movement from station to station. If students roll "stay", they should record a hatch mark at that station. Another approach is to place a container with

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beads of a certain color at each station. For example, offer blue beads at the ocean station, brown beads at the soil station, white beads at the glacier, and so forth. Provide lengths of twine on which to string the beads. As students move from station to station, have them keep track of their movements by picking up beads and stringing them on the twine.

8. Tell students the game will begin and end with the sound of a bell. Play the game!

Rural and urban, work and recreation, wildlife and industry: all depend on the hydrologic cycle.

Part II
1. Ask students to describe how they think water moves in systems that have been constructed by humans. Remind them that in the constructed system water is processed for human use. That is, water is treated to be suitable for drinking and wastewater is treated to be released into the natural system or to be reused in the constructed system (for irrigation, industry, and even drinking).
2. Have students brainstorm on how water is used
in constructed systems. It may be easier for them to
think of different water users (urban dwellers, farmers, ranchers, industrialists, recreationists, etc.)
3. Have students distinguish between the ways urban and rural dwellers generally receive their water. Discuss the difference between public water supply systems (water treatment and wastewater treatment) and private wells and septic systems.
4. Expand the playing field to include stations and die for both the natural and constructed systems. It will be necessary to change one to three sides of the following dice to simulate the natural and constructed cycle: river, clouds, ocean, lake, and ground water. A new die will have to be made for the constructed system. (See the Water Cycle Tables.) Provide students with the Water Journey Map, Part II, and tell them to record their journey just as they did in the natural system.

5. Remind students to move in pairs to represent water in the form of liquid and ice and to move as single players when they are representing water in the gaseous state. (With smaller classes and the increased number of stations, it may be necessary to explain the changes in state, but not to simulate it. In this situation, students would move singularly from station to station, regardless of the form ofwater at that station.
6. Tell students that play will begin and end with the sound of a whistle or bell. Go!
WrapUp
Have students study their Water Journey Maps, Part I and Part II. Ask them what conclusions they can draw about the natural water cycle based on their journey. Could they have predicted the exact pattern ofwater's movement through the natural system? Have students compare their journeys from Part I and Part II. Were there stations that could have been predicted as part of water's journey through the constructed system? (For example, water must pass through water treatment for urban users and through wastewater treatment before it enters the natural system.) Discuss water treatment and wastewater treatment with students. Have students describe how these technologies in many ways imitate the cleaning ofwater in the natural system.

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Ask students how many of them live in urban systems. Aie they aware ofwhether or not reclaimed water is being used in their community for irrigation, industry, or drinking water? How do (or would) they feel about drinking reclaimed water?
Have students compare water movement through rural and urban systems. How many of them depend on a well for their home water use? Who is responsible for ensuring the quality of drinking water and the treatment ofwastewater in rural households that depend on a residential well? (The family who depends on the well.) How can homeowners help to maintain the quality ofwater that is returned to the natural system? (They can closely monitor their septic system.) Why is it important that wells are not drilled too closely together? (One well can affect the supply of another. Also, the natural system in a small or confined area may not be able to finish the cleaning process if there are too many septic systems too close together.)
In addition to rural and urban water users, were students (based on their family's work) able to identify with other water users? Ask students to discuss their recreation use ofwater. Although students were able to play the game without the constructed system, would it be possible to demonstrate water's movement on the planet without the natural system?
How does an understanding ofhowwater moves on the planet contribute to our reasons to conserve water? Do students believe that water is without cost? (Treatment for drinking water and wastewater costs money. It requires workers, facilities, pipes, and materials to clean or treat water. The more water we use, the more water must be treated or cleaned, and that <;osts money.)

Assessment
Have students ~ Role-play water as it moves through the natural system (Part I, step 8) and constructed systems (Part II, step 7). ~ Identify the states ofwater as it moves through the natural system (Part I, step 4). ~ Identify the steps in water treatment and wastewater treatment and relate them to natural systems (Part II, step 1). ~ Compare and contrast the movement ofwater through natural and constructed systems (Warm Up). ~ Draw a picture of how water moves on the planet through natural and constructed systems (Wrap Up). ~ Identify how an understanding of the water cycle in natural and constructed systems supports water conservation measures (Wrap Up).
Extensions
Have students investigate how water becomes polluted and is cleaned as it moves through the water cycle. For instance, it might pick up contaminants as it travels through the soil that are then left behind as water evaporates at the surface. Challenge students to adapt the activity to include these processes in both the natural and constructed systems. For example, rolled-up pieces of masking tape representing pollutants can be stuck to students as they travel to the soil station. Some materials will be filtered out as the water moves to the lakes. Have students show this by rubbing their arms to slough off some tape. If they roll clouds, they remove all the tape; when water evaporates it leaves pollutants behind.

Ask students to turn over the papers on which they first drew how they thought water moved on the planet. Now that they have run the simulation in Parts I and II of the activity, ask them to illustrate or create a model ofhow they think water moves on the planet through natural and constructed systems. Ask .students to compare and contrast their original and final impressions of the water cycle.

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Resources
Alexander, Gretchen. 1989. Water Cycle Teacher's Guide. Hudson, NH: Delta Education, Inc. Allen, Leslie Frye, Valerie Johnson, Georgann Penson, and Diane Sterling. 1996. Waterways: Exploring Northwest Florida's Water Resources. Havana, FL: Northwest Florida Water Management District. Anderson, Terry L., and Pamela Snyder. 1997. Water Markets, Priming the Invisible Pump. Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute. Gleick, Peter H. 198. The World's Water. Washington, D.C.: Island Press. VanDer Leeden, Frits. 1991. The Water Encyclopedia. Chelsea, MI: Lewis Publishers, Inc.
e-Links
Comision Nacional del Agua (Mexico) www.can.gob.rnxlportallswitch.asp?param=1000 Environment Canada www.ec.gc.ca/waterlen/nature/prop/e_cycle.htm Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) www.ega.gov/seahome/groundwater/srdcycle.htm National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasalearthlhydrocycle/hydrol.htrnl United States Geological Survey (USGS) Ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/followdrip.html
Printed with permission from The Watershed Manager. International Project WET

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IS Student Copy Page

Water Cycle Table/Natural Cycle Part I

Station Soil

Die Side Labels one side plant one side river one side ground water two sides clouds

one side stay

Plant River

four sides clouds two sides stay one side lake one side groundwater one side ocean one side animal one side clouds

Clouds

one side stay one side soil one side glacier one side lake two sides ocean one side stay

Explanation Water is absorbed by plant roots. The soil is saturated, so water runs off into a river Water is pulled by gravity; it filters into the soil. Heat energy is added to the water, so the water evaporates and goes to the clouds. Water remains on the surface (perhaps in a puddle, or adhering to a soil particle). Water leaves the plant through the process of transpiration. Water is used by the plant and stays in the cells. Water flows into a lake. Water is pulled by gravity; it filters into the soil. Water flows into the ocean. An animal drinks water. Heat energy is added to the water, so the water evaporates and goes back to the clouds. Water remains in the current of the river. Water condenses and falls on soil. Water condenses and falls as snow onto a glacier. Water condenses and falls into a lake. Water condenses and falls into the ocean. Water remains as a water droplet clinging to a dust particle in the cloud.

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Water Cycle Table/Natural Cycle Part I

Station Ocean
Lake

Die Side Labels two sides clouds
four sides stay one side groundwater one side animal one side river one side clouds

Animal Ground Water Glacier

two sides stay two sides soil three sides clouds one side stay one side river two sides lake three sides stay one side ground water
one side clouds three sides river one side stay

Student Copy Page
Explanation Heat energy is added to the water, so the water evaporates and goes to the clouds. Water remains in the ocean. Water is pulled by gravity; it filters into the soil. An animal drinks water. Water flows into a river. Heat energy is added to the water, so the water evaporates and goes to the clouds. Water remains within the lake or estuary. Water is excreted through feces and urine. Water is respired or evaporated from the body. Water is incorporated into the body. Water filters into a river. Water filters into a lake. Water stays underground. Snow melts and water percolates down through soil and rock to ground water. Snow melts and water evaporates to the clouds. Snow melts and water flows into a river. Snow stays frozen in the mountains.

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Water Cycle Table/Natural Cycle Part I

Station Soil

Die Side Labels one side plant one side river one side ground water two sides clouds

one side stay

Plant River

four sides clouds two sides stay one side water treatment one side irrigation one side ocean one side animal one side clouds

Clouds

one side stay one side soil one side glacier one side lake one side ocean one side recreation one side stay

Explanation Plant roots absorb water. The soil is saturated, so water runs off into a river. Water is pulled by gravity; it filters into the soil. Heat energy is added to the water, so the water evaporates and goes to the clouds. Water remains on the surface (perhaps in a puddle or adhering to a soil particle). Water leaves the plant through the process of transpiration. Water is used by the plant and stays in the cells. Water is withdrawn from the river for treatment. Water is removed from the river for irrigation. Water flows into the ocean. An animal drinks water. Heat energy is added to the water, so the water evaporates and goes back to the clouds. Water remains in the current of the river. Water condenses and falls on soil. Water condenses and falls as snow onto a glacier. Water condenses and falls into a lake. Water condenses and falls into the ocean. Water condenses and falls to the earth for various forms of recreation. Water remains as a water droplet clinging to a dust particle in the cloud.

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8 Student Copy Page

Water Cycle Table/Natural Cycle Part I

Station Ocean

Die Side Labels two sides clouds
two sides stay one side desalinization one side industry

Lake

one side groundwater one side animal one side river one side clouds

two sides stay one side industry

Animal Ground Water
Glacier

two sides soil three sides clouds one side stay one side river one side lake one side stay one side well one side water treatment one side irrigation one side ground water
one side clouds three sides river one side stay

Explanation Heat energy is added to the water, so the water evaporates and goes to the clouds. Water remains in the ocean. Water is removed from the ocean for desalinization. Ocean water is used for ballast in seagoing vessels for transporting goods. Water is pulled by gravity; it filters into the soil An animal drinks water. Water flows into a river. Heat energy is added to the water, so the water evaporates and goes to the clouds. Water remains within the lake or estuary. Ocean water is used for power plants and manufacturing products. Water is excreted through feces and urine. Water is respired or evaporated from the body. Water is incorporated into the body. Water filters into a river. Water filters into a lake. Water stays underground. Water is pumped for domestic uses. Water is removed and treated for drinking water. Water is removed for irrigation. Snow melts and water percolates down through the soil and rock to ground water. Snow melts and water evaporates to the clouds. Snow melts and water flows into a river. Snow stays frozen in the mountains.

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Water Cycle Table/Constructed Cycle Part II

Station Wastewater

Die Side Labels one side river one side urban one side irrig::ttion

one side industry

Recreation Water Treatment Well

one side ground water one side clouds one side plants two sides river one side lake one side animal two sides ocean two sides urban
one side industry one side ground water one side stay two sides rural
one side irrigation one side animals one side industry one side stay

Explanation After treatment, water is returned to the river. Water is used to irrigate lawns and parks. Water is used to irrigate animal feed crops, cotton, citrus, and other crops. Water is used in processing and cooling (for example, in the steel industry). Treated water is injected into wells to replenish ground water. Water evaporates from treatment plant settling ponds. Water is taken up by plant roots in parks and athletic fields. People enjoy water through canoeing, rafting, and birding. People enjoy water through boating and skiing. Anglers enjoy water through fishing. People enjoy beaches, swimming, and snorkeling. Water is used for domestic purposes like drinking, bathing, cooking, fire fighting, and city cleaning. Water is used for production of goods. Water is lost during transport through leaky, underground pipes. Water remains in supply facility (tanks, water tower). many people living in rural areas pump their water from wells for drinking, bathing, cooking, etc. Well water is used to irrigate crops. Well water is used for livestock watering. Well water is used for producing goods. Water remains in the well.

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Student Copy Page

Water Cycle Table/Constructed Cycle Part II

Station Desalinization
Urban

Die Side Labels two sides urban one side irrigation one side industry one side stay one side clouds two sides wastewater
one side plant

one side soil one side clouds one side river

Irrigation
Rural Septic System Septic System

one side soil two sides plants one side clouds one side river one side animals three sides septic system
one side irrigation one side animal one side clouds two sides stay four sides soil two sides stay two sides wastewater two sides clouds

Explanation Water is used fro drinking, bathing, cleaning, etc. Water is used for watering crops, trees, etc. Water is utilized in the production of goods. Water remains in storage tanks after treatment. Water evaporates during treatment. Mter use, water moves through pipes to the wastewater treatment facility. Plants absorb water through their roots during irrigation of lawns and gardens. Water soaks into soil with watering. Water evaporates into the clouds with the watering oflawns. Water flows from the lawn into storm drains that may connect with the river. Water moves into the soil. Water is absorbed by plant roots. Water evaporates into the clouds. Water runs off the fields and into the river. Water is used for livestock, waterfowl, and wildlife. Water moves into the septic system for cleaning after use in homes. Well water is used for lawns and gardens. Well water is used for livestock and pets. Evaporation occurs when applying water to lawns and gardens. Water remains in the septic tank of the system. After cleaning, water moves into the soil layer. Industry recycles water. After use, water is treated. Water evaporates as steam in industrial applications.

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IS Student Copy Page
Natural Cycle Box Sides
Directions: Replicate these pages, enlarging them to fit the sides ofyour boxes, as necessary. Cut the panels apart and glue or paste the artwork onto the six sides of each box. Or, have students create their own illustrations for the boxes.

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Natural Cycle Box Slides

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Natural and Constructed Cycle Box Sides
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Constructed Cycle Box Slides

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WaterJourney Map, Part

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8 Student Copy Page
Water Journey Map, Part II

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Student Copy Page
You can introduce the water cycle words by singing this song with your students and sing it faster each round and then try and act out the meaning of the words.
Water Water Water Water
(to the tune ofMary Poppins' SOJ!g Supercalafrajalisticexpialadocious)
Precipitation Transpiration Accumulation Condensation Infiltration Evaporation Water Cycle Words Are Sure To Cause Some Perspiration Say Them Fast And You Will Feel A Little Frustration!!!! Water Water Water Water Water Water Water Water

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A -maze-ing Water

Imagine turning on your water tap and having everything that you dumped into the gutter last week flow into your glass.

Summary
Students guide a drop ofwater through a maze of"drainage pipes" to learn how actions in the home and yard affect water quality

Grade Level:
Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, Middle School
Subject Areas:
Environmental Science, Health
Duration Preparation time: Option 1: 15 minutes Option II: 50 minutes Activity time: Option 1: 30 minutes Option II: three 50-minute periods (includes drying time for maze)
Setting: Classroom
Skills: Organizing (manipulating materials); Interpreting (identifying cause and effect); Applying (designing)
Charting the Course
Prior understanding of how water flows through a watershed supports this activity ("Branching Out!"). Students can investigate the role their school plays in adding to the city's runoff in "Rainy-Day Hike." The activity"Sum of the Parts" can be adapted to include the schoolyard as a nonpoint source contributor.
Vocabulary
Storm drain, nonpoint source pollution, runoff, contaminants, aquatic, biodegradable

Objectives
Students will: ~ Describe urban forms of pollution. ~ Provide reasons why people should monitor what they put on their lawns or in streets. ~ Identify ways to treat urban runoff.
Materials
For Option 1: ~ Can or bottle labeled "chemicals" or "oil" ~ Chalk
~ Pieces ofself-stickingpaper, flour, or other materials to representpollutantsfound in
urban runoff
For Option 2: ~ Cardboard 8 inches (21.3 em) x 10 inches (25.4 em) (1 per student or group) ~ Waxpaper ~ Tape ~ Woodglue ~ Clay or modeling dough (Following is a simple recipe for modeling dough: Knead together 1 cup (22.4 g) flour, lh cup (11.2 g) salt, 1 cup (180 rnl) boiling water, 1 tablespoon (15 rnl) salad oil, and 1 tablespoon (5 g) alum [optional]; if too sticky, add more flour and salt.) ~ Water ~ Sugar, salt, pepper, food coloring, oil, and other materials to represent pollutants found in urban runoff ~ Wax marking pencil ~ Pipette or eyedropper ~ Pencil and paper
Making Connections
Most students have washed family cars, seen litter on the sidewalk, or walked a dog. In urban settings, car wash detergent, litter, animal waste, paint, and oil
all wash into the street and down storm drains. Investigating what happens to

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these materials after they enter drainage systems helps students understand how these materials can affect water supplies and aquatic plants and animals.
Background
Removing water quickly and efficiendy from city streets, parking lots, and schoolyards following precipitation or snowmelt is an important task for municipal governments. Water flowing through city drainage pipes is often referred to as an urban watershed. Before storm drainage systems were common, cities experienced localized flooding because of poor or nonexistent drainage patterns and flooded sewer systems that overflowed with storm water. Both circumstances caused significant health and safety concerns that warranted solutions. Today, most city governments require housing developers to install city-approved storm water drainage systems.

distance the storm water in the drainage system appears dark-colored. Perhaps the road salt used to melt ice on roads and sidewalks has mixed in. How about the paint a neighbor pours into the gutter? The pet waste near the sidewalk? Whoosh, more water moves by! What next? What about the nearby stream and the people using water downstream for their drinking supply?
You can follow the water to a large pond that the city constructed to catch storm water. The water in the pond is now moving slowly through cattails and other emergent wedand vegetation, and its color has started to change. Where is the debris and the sediment? And what about other waste materials? A woman from the city health department tests the water as it enters a small stream; she concludes that the water is cleaner than the river it is about to enter.

Traditionally, water diverted to storm water systems received litde or no treatment before flowing into a stream or body ofwater. Environmental agencies found that water draining off lawns, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, and streets carried significant amounts of pollutants. These pollutants included fertilizers, motor oil, litter, pesticides, animal waste, and other contaminants. Receiving waters were degraded, and aquatic plants and animals were affected. Some communities resolved the problem by channeling storm runoff into a wastewater treatment plant. But this is an expensive procedure, and some plants are unequipped to process the inorganic materials found in urban runoff. A more cost-effective system was needed to treat storm water discharge. The scenario below describes one such water treatment system.
Imagine the parking lot of a large shopping center. Each year thousands of cars park in the lot, each depositing a small amount of engine oil-and grit (loosened road materials). A gende rain begins to wash the lot. At the lot's lowest point, oil- and gas-tainted runoffwater begins to flow into the street's gutter. A few blocks away, an urban river flows, filled with floating debris, sediment, and multi-colored water from another street, then another, and another. The flow now nearly fills a ditch constructed to channel urban runoff. From a

Solutions to urban storm water pollution problems require participation by everyone. Homeowners can help by carefully following directions when applying pesticides and fertilizers, using biodegradable products whenever possible, cleaning up pet wastes, not disposing of household wastes in the street, and fixing oil leaks in vehicles. City sanitation departments can supply information on proper disposal procedures for paint cleaners, used oil, or leftover paint. In addition to developing wedand systems to help treat urban runoff, many city governments periodically sweep roadways to remove wastes. They plant greenways and preserve green space to help filter runoff from streets and parking lots.

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Procedure
WannUp
Show students a can or bottle labeled "chemicals" or "oil". Tell students you need to dispose of the chemicals and plan to dump them in the street in front of the school. Ask students if they think this is a good idea. Have students describe what they thi~ will happen to the waste material. Read the first paragraph of the scenario in the Background. Ask students what they think might happen to the runoff.
The Activity
Following are two options for simulating urban runoff being collected within a storm drain system.
Option 1 1. Discuss how water is used to clean things, such as the surface ofa table after a spill. Relate how rainwater washes the outdoors. Explain that as it flows over plants, soil, and sidewalks, it picks up and carries away soil and other materials. Inform students that cities use water to clean the waste from city streets and sidewalks. Often the water goes-down storm drains, collects in pipes, and flows to a river or a treatment plant. (If a media center or water table is available, younger students can use pieces of tubing and plastic pipe to create a mini-water transport system. They can explore how pipes help water travel over distances by pouring water into one end of a tube and watching it run out in a different location.)
2. Draw a simple but large maze on the school blacktop or arrange the chairs in the classroom to form the maze. The maze represents underground pipes that collect and transport surface water that has flowed.down storm drains. Have students run the maze. Inform them they are water flowing through the drainage pipes to the river or treatment plant.

themselves along edges ofthe maze. They represent storm drains and the contaminated water flowing through them. They should hold pieces ofself-sticking paper or bowls offlour to symbolize the pollutants. When other students run through the maze, the students representing storm drains stick pieces of paper or sprinkle flour onto the clothing ofthe maze runners to represent contaminated water mixing with water (that may or may not be clean) flowing through the system. Allow students to take turns playing different roles.
5. After several trips through the maze, discuss what happens to this dirty water. What ifit flows into the river? Can treatment plants process all the waste? Have students summarize why they should not litter.
6. To represent a treatment system, have two students stand at the maze exit. Similar to the game London Bridge, the two treatment students "trap" each passing water student and remove as many pollutants as possible before he or she goes into the river. What are students' attitudes about the quality of this water passing into the river?
Option2 1. Prepare or have students make mazes representing storm pipes carrying away street runoff. Build each maze on a piece of cardboard covered with wax paper. The walls of the maze are made from clay or modeling dough. Coat the walls and floors of the maze with wood glue and allow to dry. (Allow one day for clay to dry, and one day for glue to dry.)
2. The maze should have one starting point and two exits. One exit leads to a sewage treatment plant, and the other flows into a stream. Use a wax pencil to label the exits.

3. Discuss sources ofwater that run into the storm sewer system (streets, lawns, parking lots, etc.). What might this water carry? (Oil from cars, fertilizers, litter.)
4. To simulate surface water transporting pollutants into drainage pipes, have several students position

3. Have students list materials people purposefully or inadvertendy add to gutters and storm drains. Have students draw a picture of a city street depicting these activities. They can switch their drawings with a partner to see if their classmates can identify the polluting activities.

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students identify or research ways contaminated water affects aquatic life and drinking water supplies.

Introduce students to the many actions people can take to limit contaminants entering urban runoff. These include properly disposing ofpet waste and litter, and discarding chemicals and oils according to manufacturer's directions. Inform students that many cities have developed systems to treat runoff. Refer to the scenario in the Background and read the second paragraph.

Have students contact their local wastewater treatment plant or public works department or determine whether their street runoff enters the treatment plant or ifit flows directly into the river or filters into ground water systems.

4. Place drops offood coloring, salt water, and sugar water mixed with pepper on different places in the maze. Allow one day for the water to evaporate. Drops of oil can also be placed at certain locations. These all represent contaminants added to urban waste systems.
5. Tell students to place a drop ofwater at the starting
point and to tilt the maze so that the drop flows slowly toward one ofthe exits. Toward which one should they aim?
6. As the drop flows through the paths, it should pick up dye from the food coloring, particles from the salt and pepper, and possibly oil droplets. This represents water moving through a municipal storm water system.
7. When the drop reaches the exit, have students describe what the drop looks like and feels like. Ifit ended in the treatment plant, the drop gets replaced with a clean drop ofwater. Ifit ended in the overflow ("untreated water" exit), the drop is added to a cup labeled "stream."
Wrap Up and Action Discuss the problems associated with untreated urban runoff entering rivers or other bodies ofwater. Have

Students may want to begin a storm drain monitoring program. This involves sending messages to the community illustrating how and why it should monitor what flows down streets into storm drains. Students can design a brochure describing ways individuals can reduce their contribution to surface and ground water pollution via urban runoff. Students can contact recycling centers, wastewater facilities, or their state department of natural resources to research ways individuals can reduce the amount of fertilizers and pesticides they use, choose alternatives to home and garden chemicals, and safely dispose of household wastes. If the city or county recycling office has a hazardous waste collection program, this could be included in the brochure as well.
In addition to the brochure, students can start a stenciling program. Students can make or purchase a stencil with a message about monitoring what flows down storm drains (e.g. "DUMP NO WASTEDRAINS TO STREAM"). The stencils are used to spray-paint the message near neighborhood storm drains. Students can include information about the stenciling and its intent in their brochure, which they deliver to community members who live near the drains. Make sure students obtain permission from city or county public works departments before beginning the project.

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Assessment

Resources

Have students:

Cole, Joanna. 1986. The Magic School Bus at the Water-

~ Identify urban sources of pollution (Warm Up,

works. New York, N.Y.: Scholastic, Inc.

Option 1, step 3, and Option 2, step 3).

~ Design mazes to simulate storm water drainage

Environmental Concern Inc., The Watercourse, and

systems (Option 2, step 1-4)

Project WET. 1995. Activities "Treatment Plants" and

~ Explain why certain materials should not b~;:

"Water Purifiers." WOW! The Wonders ofWetlands. Pub-

dumped into the street or used carelessly (Option lished through a partnership between Environmental

1, step 5, and Wrap Up).

Concern, Inc., St. Michaels, Md., and The Watercourse,

~ Design a brochure describing steps individuals

Bozeman, Mont.

and communities can take to prevent surface water

contamination (Wrap Up).

The Water Education Foundation, 717 K Street, Suite

Extensions

517, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 448-7699.

Students can research alternatives to house and lawn

For information on storm drain monitoring and stencil-

chemicals and cleaning agents. Contact the local

ing programs, contact:

recycling center, the waste treatment facility, or a local

environmental group for details. Invite a representative Step Coordinator, Oregon Department ofFish and

from the local water treatment plant to enrich the

Wildlife, P.O. Box 59, 2501 S.W . First Avenue, Port-

activity. Visit a local gas station and have the manager land, OR 97207.

explain what happens to oil after cars are serviced.

Earthwater Stencils, 4425 140th

SUGGESTED MAZE PATIERN
START

SW Dept. WT, Rochester, WA 98579.

Center for Marine Conservation 306A Buckroe Avenue, Hampton, VA 23664.

SPOTS OF FOOD COLORING, SALT. AND PEPPER THAT REPRESENT WATER CONTAMINANTS (ANTIFREEZE. ROAD SALT, OIL. ETC.) THAT ENTER THROUGH STORM DR/\INS.

Printed with permission from The Project WET Curriculum and A ctivity Guide
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Jlrms ~plash

In The

they constructed a crawl-through drain pipe out of cardboard boxes. The boxes wound their

Drain

way through the classroom and emptied in the stream. The Arnold students cut holes in the top of the boxes and cut up

Students at Allen Elementary . squares of stick-on colored paper.

School in Columbus, Georgia Each color of paper represented a

Get Storm Drain Education different type of nonpoint source

from Arnold Magnet Academy pollution such as oil, chemicals,

Students by Flowing Through the litter, and sediment. As the Allen

Storm Drain

Elementary students crawled

through the pipe (large boxes)

Columbus -Fourth and fifth grade representing water droplets, they

Allen Elementary students in were stuck with a pollutant (sticky

Columbus got quite an experience notepaper) as they made their way

when they learned about storm to the nearest stream. Once in the

drains from their seventh grade stream, Arnold students gathered

peers at Arnold Magnet Academy, all the ''water droplets" to discuss

a Georgia Project WET School of point and nonpoint source

the Year.

pollution and to explain that the

choices we make everyday can

reduce the amount of nonpoint

source pollution. Arnold Magnet

Academy is a model school in

Georgia selected to implement

the "Using the Environment

as an Integrating Context for

Learning" (EIC) Program.

These students investigate their

During the Make A Splash With Project WET Water Festival at Allen Elementary School, the seventh grade students from Arnold Magnet Academy took the Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) activity, A-mazeing Water to another level when

environment using all subjects which provides real world learning experiences. Research on EIC programs is demonstrating improved student achievement, decreased absenteeism, decreased disciplinary actions, and students who are engaged in learning.
Is your school involved in water education? If so you may want to be a Project WET School of the Year like Arnold Magnet Academy in Columbus, Georgia. For more information on how your school can be a Project WET School of the Year and receive a Make A Splash With Project WET Water Festival, contact the Georgia Project WET office at 404-675-6240. The Make a Splash Festival is sponsored by International Project WET and Nestle Waters. Project WET is an international water education curriculum for grades K-12 and a training program for formal and nonformal educators.

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Water Pollution on Trial

Grade Level: Upper Elementary, Middle School
Subject Areas: Science, Language Arts, Health, Civics, Social Studies
Duration: Preparation Time: 40 minutes, Activity Time: 60 minutes
Setting: Classroom
Skills: Organize, Analyze, Interpret, Present, Knowledge, Synthesis
Charting the Course: The activity "A-maze-ing Water done prior to this activity will help students understand stormwater
Vocabulary: best management practice (BMP), integrated pest management (IPM), nonpoint, and point source pollution, stormwater, pollution, nutrient, percolate, water pollution

Summary
During this role-play, students sit on a pollution panel to determine whether characters portrayed by their classmates are doing all that they can to protect
Atlanta's water system. An environmental compliance officer will present an account of the suspects' violations to the pollution panel and the judge will call
on expert testimony.
This scenario actually takes place in the City ofAtlanta when an environmental
compliance officerfinds a citizen violating environmental laws. The citizen will be given a citation and has to appear with the compliance officer before a municipal court
judge. Ifconvicted, the citizen may befined or may be assigned to do community service.
You can reportpolluters byfilling out aform. Go to: www.cleanwatercampaign.com/
what_can_i_dolreportonline.html
Objectives
Students will: ~ Understand the role of the environmental compliance officers and the municipal court system in enforcing water quality and environmental laws. ~ Understand how urban runoff and stormwater contribute to water pollution. ~ Describe ways that people contribute to and can prevent point and nonpoint sources of pollution.
Assessments
~ Give the students questions from the post-test- 4, 5, 6, 13, and 14. ~ Give students the visual props pictures and have them list the pollution
potentially associated with each picture, labeling whether it comes from a point or nonpoint source. (Rubric) ~ Ask students to write a paragraph describing how any nonpoint source pollution associated with the pictures can be prevented. (Rubric)
Materials
~ Pollution Profile Sheet ~ Environmental Compliance Officer, Expert Witness, and Dr. Lenzpoint script ~ Panelist score card
~ Mini Fact Sheet and Best Management Practices (BMPs) on pollution topics
~ Nonpoint Source Pollution Poster, "You're the Solution to Water ~ Pollution" (Resource in your Curriculum Packet) ~ Students can collect costume props for their character portrayal (See suggestion list) ~ Visual props for suspects (See copy page)

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--------------------------------------------------~~~

Making Connections
Students have all seen the storm drains in their neighborhoods and have probably seen pollution and litter wash down these drains. They may not have realized that water pollution goes straight to the stream from storm drains untreated and then to the river. They also may not have realized that human actions and choices everyday can cause point and nonpoint source pollution and that they can make a big difference.
Background
Have you ever wondered what happens to water after it rains? When it rains, water has two options. It can percolate through the soil or it can become runoff. In areas where there is green space, water from rainstorms has an opportunity to soak into the soil and vegetation or percolate, which gives it an opportunity to be cleaned by passing through rock and sand layers that act as filters removing pollutants. However, when rainwater hits parking lots, highways, roads, and other hard surfaces that are impervious (water cannot seep down into the soil) it has no other choice than to runoff. This happens often in an urban watershed because there are more impervious surfaces in urban areas.
Rainwater becomes stormwater and rushes to the nearest storm drain. As stormwater drains from streets, farms , parking lots, lawns, construction sites, and industries, it carries with it many pollutants. Eventually, the polluted water goes down a storm drain, travels through pipes, and empties into nearby waterways. Untreated pollution that comes from stormwater and runoff is often hard to source or identify and is called "nonpoint" source pollution. These nonpoint source contaminants include litter, motor oil, pet waste, pesticides, fertilizers, sediment from runoff, chemicals, and antifreeze, that all result from our daily activities. People are the source of nonpoint source pollution and they are also the solution to this kind of pollution. Point source pollution is caused by a direct source, a pipe for example, dumping waste into a stream. It is called "point" source pollution because you can point to it and know where it comes from. Nonpoint source pollution is the most serious pollutant in our waterways nationwide. It damages the environment and kills plants

and wildlife along the way. It not only affects the local
water supply, but those of our neighbors downstream as well. "More than 1,000 stream miles in the metropolitan Atlanta area violate State water quality standards due to pollution from stormwater runoff. Over 98 percent of Atlanta's water supply comes from surface water sources. We depend heavily on our rivers, lakes and streams for recreation, habitat, and preserving the quality oflife we have come to enjoy" (Clean Water Campaign 2005). Over the next few years, many metro Atlanta counties and communities will work on new ways to combat stormwater runoff and water pollution.
Procedure
WannUp
Begin by showing students the "You're the Solution to Water Pollution" Poster. If you do not have this in your Supplement from the workshop you can order it through the Nonpoint Source Program at the Environmental Protection Division (EPD). Ask the students to look carefully at the poster and find ways that people are contributing to water pollution. Make a list of all the possible pollutants and their sources. This review will help students when they are on the "Pollution Panel" and have to determine who is polluting the river. Ask the students to locate and identify their water supply and the name of the watershed in which they live (Chattahoochee River, Chattahoochee Watershed). It may be a good idea to do the warm up and give assignments on day one and let the students study their parts, gather props, and present on day two.
The Activity
1. Assign each student a role in this simulation. You will need ten Suspects, one environmental compliance officer, one judge (Judge Clearwater), and one expert witness, (Dr. Lenzpoint). The rest of the class will become the Pollution Panel.
2. Give all students a Suspect Profile Sheet and the Water Pollution Fact Sheets. You can also find further information on urban runoff under Fact Sheets at the end of the curriculum. Instruct the students to read the sheets thoroughly. Tell the Suspects they can create

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props and costumes and bring their characters to life. If they have no props, they can pretend to have them. This is an opportunity for some acting. Students can also use the visual props provided in this activity and make signs for their Suspect Characters. Suspects should read their character description and be prepared to be that person. Each Suspect should read the Water Pollution Fact Sheets and the Best Management Practices. Suspects will need to be prepared to present a Best Management Practice to the judge and Pollution Panel if they are found guilty by the Panel.
3. After students have read the Profile Sheet, Fact Sheets, and Best Management Practices, the Pollution Panel is given about 20 minutes to come up with questions for the Suspects. They can do this as a large group or break into smaller groups. Remind them to pick a person or two to record their questions. The group(s) should come up with at least four questions for each suspect. The questions will help the Pollution Panel determine whether a suspect is contributing to Adanta's water pollution. Give each panelist member a Panelist Score Card.
4. While the Panel is developing their questions, have the Suspects prepare their defense. This can be done as a group or individually. Instruct them to think of reasons why their characters might choose the actions they took. The Suspects should use their props/costumes, hats etc. they have brought to class to bring their character to life.
5. Set up the classroom so that the Panel is facing the Suspects. Using the script, the Environmental Compliance Office (ECO) will begin by making a statement concerning the suspect to the judge and to the Pollution Panel. The Environmental Gompliance Officer will make a statement to set the tone and describe the alleged environmental offense. Then the Panel will ask their questions of the Suspect and each Panel member will decide individually whether the Suspect has done everything possible to protect the city's waterways. They will fill in a score on the Panel Score Card after each Suspect has been questioned. Score cards will be collected after the last Suspect has presented and votes are counted and the count is given to Judge Clearwater.

6. Using the script, Dr. Lenzpoint will give an expert opinion about the pollution and violation during each suspect questioning. Judge Clearwater decides when to call on Dr. Lenzpoint but it should be during the Suspect questioning.
7. Mter hearing the Suspect responses and Dr. Lenzpoint's testimonies, Judge Clearwater will determine guilt or innocence. One or two Panelists will collect and total the votes and give them to Judge Clearwater who will announce the verdicts. The Suspect is guilty if the majority of the Pollution Panel votes against him/her. Students found guilty will need to research Best Management Practices (BMP) and identifY actions they can take to reduce pollution in the water. These guilty Suspects can be teamed with community members to research Best Management Practices. As an activity follow-up, guilty Suspects present their Best Management Plan to Judge Clearwater. Judge Clearwater can assign a fine or community work based on the BMP presented.
8. Discuss the results as a group. Were they unanimous or did some of the panel votes differ? Why did panelists vote the way they did? What did the innocent Suspects do right? What could the guilty Suspects do differendy to help keep Adanta's water clean?
Wrap-Up Guilty suspects will be given an opportunity to consider things they can do (Best Management Practices) to take more responsible action and present their plan to Judge Clearwater and the Pollution Panel. If the plan is approved, the guilty party will be able to implement the plan and avoid a fine.
Storm drain after
heavy rainfall

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Student Copy Page

Water Pollution On Trial Script
~ Judge begins the proceedings ~ The Judge calls on the Pollution Panel to ask
questions of the Suspect.

Judge Clearwater- Welcome to the courtroom today. I am Judge Clearwater and I will expect your cooperation and attention as we determine guilt or innocence. We will be hearing the cases of 10 pollution suspects. Is our Environmental Compliance Officer ready to begin? Please come forward.

Suspect#l

Environmental Compliance Officer (ECO)- Your

Honor,

(make up a name for suspect) has been

dumping used motor oil down the storm drain near

his/her place of business. We were alerted because local

Adopt-A-Stream volunteers noticed that their creek had

an odd smell, a sizable oil slick over the water, and there

were dead fish on the bank. Their chemical monitor-

ing reflected a change in the stream downstream from

the Auto Body Shop. We began checking in the area

that the stream was impacted, and noted that one of the

neighboring business owners had seen

dumping

oil down the drain regularly over the past six months.

relieve themselves near the water and did not attempt to clean it up. Another park visitor reported it to us.
Judge Clearwater- I call on the Suspect now to defend their actions.
Qpestions From The Pollution Panel
Suspect#2 Dr. Lenzpoint - Pet waste may not be the largest or
most toxic pollutant in urban waterways, but it is one of the many sources of pollution that can add up to a big problem. When pet waste gets into lakes, rivers and streams, it can contribute to increased levels of fecal coliform in the water. But, most important is the fact that pet waste carries diseases. Bacteria, like cryptosporidium for example, is a parasite carried by dogs, cats, mice, calves, and other mammals and can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea and dehydration. It's so easy to pick up pet waste and put it in the garbage, down your toilet, or dig a hole away from water and bury it. Pet waste also adds nutrients like nitrogen and phosphate to the water often causing plant/algae growth turning the water into a green soup. This leads to decreased dissolved oxygen in the water that can increase fish kills.

Judge Clearwater- At this time I call on the Suspect to defend their actions.
Qpestions From The Pollution Panel
Suspect#l Dr. Lenzpoint- Changing habits is difficult but it
can be very beneficial for the environment because it
will prevent water pollution. It is important to learn
the proper disposal of certain products such as motor oil. Why, a single quart of used motor oil can pollute 250,000 gallons ofwater and kill many different kinds of organisms. Recycling is the only proper means of disposing used motor oil.

Suspect#3 ECO- Your Honor, I would like to present _ __
(make up a name). He/she runs a community garden. There is a concern in the community about a local stream that is not healthy. Neighbors feel that the pesticides used on this garden may in fact be contributing to decreased water quality standards and several neighborhood illnesses. _ _ has admitted to using some chemicals but states that they use Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM is the use of all means of pest control (chemical and non-chemical) but the use of pesticides is the last line of defense.

Suspect#2 ECO- Your Honor (name for the suspect)__was
reported to have walked their dogs recently in Piedmont Park on __(give a date) and allowed both dogs to

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s Student Copy Page

Judge Clearwater- What does this Suspect have to say?

Questions From The Pollution Panel

Suspect#3
Dr. Lenzpoint- Users of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals need to take precautions to reduce the risks of these chemicals getting into our creeks and rivers contaminating aquatic life and affecting our drinking water. When it rains, water carries the pesticides and any other chemicals to storm drains where it becomes part of our waterways. Pest control is an ongoing problem and pesticides are chemicals that have been linked to illness and disease. It is hard to know exacdy where a chemical will spread or drift when sprayed and it can get in the air we breathe and in the water we drink through the soil. It is also very important to apply chemicals carefully and not before expected rainfall. When people use pesticides on their gardens and lawns before a storm, it can cause large amounts of contaminants to enter waterways. Integrated Pest Management provides good management practices for using chemical and non-chemical pest control.

Suspect#4

ECO- Your Honor, I present you with

(make

up name) . He/she has just recendy opened a new

cleaning service for day care centers. Instead of using

harmful abrasive cleaners, he/she has decided to use

earth friendly products that are biodegradable. However,

the staff at the Center feels these products may not be

safe and are being improperly disposed.

Judge Clearwater- What does the Suspect have to say in their defense?

Qyestions From The Pollution Panel

cleaners contain. Children's immune systems are continuously developing and so any contact with abrasive cleaners can cause harmful effects on their bodies. Some children may even be allergic to the chemicals in the cleaners. Biodegradable cleaners are better for the environment because they can be broken down by the earth's elements and processes, such as filtration and erosion, through rainfall, heat from the sun and other weathering events. Other cleaners can be harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms if they are flushed into water systems. Consumers have to be careful and read labels before the products are used so that they clearly understand how to use and dispose of the product. Making your own safer cleaning products with materials like baking soda and vinegar is advisable.

Suspects #5 & 6

ECO- Your Honor, Mr. and Mrs.

(make up

name) have just moved from the West Coast into a new

home in East Adanta. Their yard is over four acres and

they have large trees, colorful flowers, and beautiful green

grass. The couple has contracted with a local lawn care

service that will come three times weekly to keep their

yard looking green and beautiful. The Green-A-Yard

Company uses many chemicals and fertilizers each visit.

The creek running through the neighborhood has shown

evidence of degradation below the~ home. A local

school group does biological and chemical monitoring of

the creek and they noticed a change after the __ have

moved in. There are other neighbors using this company

too but they only have service once a month. The stu-

dents contend that the chemicals used on the lawns are

unsafe for children and pets, and are also harmful to the

stream environment.

Judge Clearwater- What do you both have to say in your defense?

Suspect#4
Dr. Lenzpoint- Earth friendly products can be as effective in killing germs as other brand name cleaners and can be better for the environment ifdisposed of correcdy. Gende cleaners should be used, especially around children, who can become sick while playing around harmful chemicals that some brand name

Qyestions From The Pollution Panel
Suspects#5 &6
Dr. Lenzpoint- Lawn care services spray certain chemicals to kill pests, rodents and other organisms that can cause disturbances in and around homes. They apply fertilizers to keep the yards green, but they can create

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havoc when too much gets into streams, lakes and rivers. Fertilizers cause algae to grow in our waterways. When algae growth increases, it competes with natural plants and reduces the oxygen in the water that other organisms need to survive. Chemicals often tend to drift and do not always stay on the user's land. They can actually travel to other environs where they maintain their toxicity. Lawn care services used frequently could cause more fertilizers and pesticides to enter the nearby waterway causing problems in the aquatic habitat.

Suspects #9 & 10

ECO- Your Honor, the following students, _ _ __

and

(make up names) were seen throwing their

trash into a stream after they had visited a local conve-

nient store. One of the students threw his/her soda can

and the six-pack ring holder into the stream thinking

that the stream would take care of it. The other student

threw their candy wrappers .on the streambank. The lo-

cal Adopt-A-Stream organization is reporting heavy lit-

ter pollution of the local stream. .

Suspects #7 & 8

ECO- Your Honor, Mr.

and Mrs.

(make

up names) are joint owners of a family painting business

that was founded by their grandfather. Allegedly, the two

current owners of the company have been resorting to

time saving techniques, such as disposing their leftover

paints and paint thinners down the storm drains where

they were working. Though they have picked up new

painting tools and techniques over the years, they

continue to dispose their paint waste incorrectly impacting

the local stream, creeks and river where it will harm other

aquatic life. Storm drains lead to the nearest waterway and

therefore the paint goes to the nearest stream, creek or

river where it can harm the aquatic ecosystem.

Judge Clearwate~ What would the Suspect like to say in their defense at this time?

Judge Clearwater- What do these Suspects wish to say regarding their actions?
QUESTIONS FROM POLLUTION PANEL
Suspects#9 & 10 Dr. Lenzpoint- Trash and litter left in or near a stream
can be dangerous for aquatic animals. Litter is a sign of disrespect to the environment and can cause harmful effects to waterways. Plastics, such as six-pack ring holders on soda pop cans, can trap and kill birds and fish that come into contact with them. Other forms of trash like paper products and metals can leach out chemicals that are harmful to the chemical make up of our waterways. Paper, plastic and aluminum can be recycled. Trash that can't be recycled should be held until it can be disposed of properly in a trash can.

Qyestions From The Pollution Panel

Suspects #7 & 8 Dr. Lenzpoint- Paints and paint thinners are some of
the most harmful solvents that are frequently disposed of incorrectly. Due to their high toxicity level, these chemicals can cause great harm to various organisms that they come into contact with. Some painters dump their paint waste down home drains or dump it outside down storm drains. Disposing of paint down storm drains is illegal and can be incredibly harmful to the environment. Storm drains take the paint to the nearest waterway without being filtered or cleaned. The paint and paint thinner then disrupts the entire aquatic ecosystem by lowering levels of DO (Dissolved Oxygen), altering PH levels, and disturbing nutrient cycles.

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Water Pollution On Trial
Panelist Score Card

Suspect#! Suspect#2 Suspect#3 Suspect#4 Suspects#5 &6 Suspects #7 & 8 Suspects#9 & 10

GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY

NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY

Water Pollution On Trial
Panelist Score Card

Suspect#! Suspect#2 Suspect#3 Suspect#4 Suspects #5 & 6 Suspects #7 & 8 Suspects#-9 & 10

GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY

NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY NOT GUILTY

Count up the total number ofvotes for each suspect or suspect group, and if there are more guilty votes than not guilty votes, then the suspect is found guilty and must come up with a plan of action.

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Pollution Profile Sheet
Pollution Panel: The Pollution Panel is made up of a group of environmental experts and community leaders who help determine the guilt or innocence ofwater pollution violators.
Suspect #1- Owns an auto body shop in the West End area ofAtlanta. He/she has been in business for six years. While his/her specialty is body repairs, suspect #1 offers a special on oil changes. The special has brought the shop many new and returning customers. At the end of a busy day, suspect #1 disposes ofhis/her old motor oil by pouring it down the nearby community storm drain.
Suspect #2 -Is a bachelor who owns a condo near Piedmont Park. He also owns two dogs, Champ and Chester. While he takes good care ofhis canine companions, he does not take time to clean up their waste. For years, he has walked Champ and Chester around the park's lake and allowed them to relieve themselves along the way.

Suspects# 7 & #8 -Are joint owners in a family house painting business that was originally started by their grandfather. While they have learned to use many new tools and techniques over the years, many of their work habits were passed down from their grandfather and then reinforced by their father. To save time, they often pour leftover paints and paint thinner down drains located near the home on which they are working.
Suspect #9 & #10- Students on their way home from school stopped at the corner store and bought a bag of candy. The students walk by the neighborhood creek and drop the wrappers in the creek knowing the creek will take them away. One student had just finished her soda and tossed that in the creek as well because there were no trash cans nearby and the stream would take care of it.

Suspect #3 -Is a retired social worker that started a community garden in his/her Little Five Points neighborhood. Thanks to help from many enthusiastic neighbors, the garden produces beautiful fruits and vegetables. To cut down on pests, suspect #3 utilizes techniques she/he learned in a Cooperative Extension Service course on alternative pesticide use.

Suspect #4- Has just embarked on a new venture - a cleaning service for day care centers. Most of the products he/she uses are biodegradable. In addition, his/ her staff has been instructed to read all labels regarding product disposal carefully.

Suspects #5 & #6- Are a married couple that have just relocated to Atlanta from the West Coast. They love their new home in East Atlanta, especially the large front and back yards full of beautiful trees and flowers. In order to keep these two areas looking their best, suspects #5 & #6 have signed a contract for lawn care servtces.

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Water Pollution Fact Sheets
Motor Oil Facts: ~ Used motor oil contains many harmful substances including contaminants such as chromium, copper, lead, zinc, and other metals. ~ A single quart of used motor oil C:l!l pollute 250,000 gallons ofwater. ~ Four quarts of oil can cause an eight-acre oil slick if spilled or dumped down a storm drain. ~ Used motor oil can kill organisms in the water that fish rely on as a food source and can contaminate drinking water supplies. ~ Used motor oil can cause harmful effects on the skin, body fluids, and ability to fight disease after both short and long-term exposure.
Pet Waste Facts: ~ Pet waste can be a serious pollutant in our waterways. Even ifyou can't see any water near you, pet waste can wash into storm drains after a rain and travel to the nearest creek or stream untreated. ~ Pet waste contains nutrients that encourage weed and algae growth that can lead to reduced oxygen and the release of ammonia that can cause fish kills. Nutrients are substances that nourish and promote development. In this case nutrients create too much plant growth in the water. ~ Pet waste contains bacteria and viruses that can cause sickness to humans.
Diseases or parasites that can be transmitted to humans include:
~ Campylobacteriosis - Bacterial infection carried by dogs and cats that frequendy causes diarrhea in humans.
~ Crypto.sporidium -A protozoan parasite carried by dogs, cats, mice, calves and other mammals that causes diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and dehydration.
~ Toxocariasis- Roundworms are not usually transmitted from dogs to humans but could cause a cough, fever or rash.
~ Toxoplasmosis -A protozoan parasite carried by cats that can cause birth defects such as mental retardation and blindness and is especially dangerous to pregnant women.

Pesticide Facts: ~ Pesticides can be harmful to aquatic systems and have been linked to illnesses. ~ When farmers and gardeners spray crops, the pesticides enter the soil and can enter waterways. ~ There are natural alternatives to pesticide use such as the use ofbeneficial insects like the ladybug and the praying mantis for example. ~ When pesticides are applied to a garden or field some of the chemical may drift downwind and outside the intended application site, which could inClude nearby surface water. ~ Pesticides can leach into groundwater therefore it is important to know what kind of soil you have. ~ Pesticides are rated for their risk of leaching or moving with surface runoff after being applied. This is done by checking their absorption, water solubility and persistence. Absorption is the chemical process that results in a pesticide being bound or absorbed to a soil particle. Solubility is measured in parts per million (ppm) and measures how easily a pesticide may be washed off the field or garden, and leach into the soil or move with the surface runoff. Pesticides with a solubility's greater than 30 ppm are more likely to move with water. Pesticide persistence is measured in terms of the half-life, or the time in days required for a pesticide to degrade in soil to one-half its original amount. For example, if a pesticide has a half-life of 15 days, 50 percent of the pesticide applied will still be present 15 days after application and half of that amount (25 percent of the original) will be present after 30 days. The longer the half-life, the greater the potential for pesticide movement.
Household Cleaner Facts: ~ Many household cleaners contain volatile organic compounds, known as VOCs. VOCs come from chemicals that get in the air as gases. One of these compounds for example, is methylene chloride found in paint strippers and aerosols. ~ These compounds can escape into the atmosphere, where they can react with other compounds to form smog. VOCs come in a wide variety of products and include: paint strippers, cleaning supplies,

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pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids, glues and adhesives, permanent markers and photographic solutions. ~ Smog can have adverse health effects, such as irritation of the eyes and lungs and has been known to increase asthma attacks. Household cleaners contain fragrances and dyes that can cause irritation to exposed skin. Irritation can include redness and swelling of the skin and cause headaches and dizziness, but can also involve nausea and sickness if the chemicals are inhaled or ingested. ~ Many cleaners are packaged in non-recyclable materials. Check with your local recycling center to see what types of plastics they process. ~ When flushed down the toilet or sewer drains, household cleaners can find their way into local waterways. The chemicals contained in these cleaners can have detrimental effects on water ecosystems.
Lawn Chemical And Fertilizer Facts: ~ Lawn chemicals are usually a mix of concentrated nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides. ~ Though lawn chemicals help lawns grow faster and greener, they also have unintended consequences. ~ Excessive application of nitrogen can deplete a lawn's self sufficiency. Grasses grow shorter roots because they become dependent on fertilizer for sustenance. ~ An increase in soil acidity from lawn chemicals forces worms and other decomposers who aerate the soil to vacate the soil. ~ Many common lawn chemicals used by lawn maintenance companies are possible carcinogens and may cause damage to the nervous system. ~ Lawn chemicals can "drift", meaning they end up in places where they are not intended; such as our rivers, streams, lakes and oceans. ~ Heavy exposure of nitrogen and other fertilizers found in lawn chemicals can cause extreme algae growth in our waterways. ~ Pesticides from lawn applications for example, can be washed into nearby streams and creeks and can kill stream organisms.

~ The most common forms offertilizer alternatives are manure, compost, and mulch.
~ Manure comes from livestock waste and helps to open up the soil to air and retain water.
~ Compost is rotted plant material that can add nutrient rich organic material to the soil.
~ Mulch is primarily made up of chips, straw, leaves, and grass. Mulch helps to retain moisture and warm soil temperatures.
~ The natural decomposition of organic matter forms a dark, soil like substance called humus.
~ Decomposition is performed by microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi that produce enzymes, which break down organic material.
Paint Facts: ~ By volume, paint is the largest category ofwaste that is brought to household hazardous waste collection programs. ~ The two major types of paint are oil based and water based. ~ Oil based paints use a petrochemical product, such as mineral spirits, toluene and xylem as a solvent, while water based paints, such as latex and water colors, use water as a solvent. ~ On average, there are three gallons of paint stored in a home, most ofwhich is old and unusable. ~ The pigment, the solvent and other additives found in paints, can be hazardous. ~ Years ago, lead was used in paints to make it harder, last longer and weather better. But due to its' hazardous nature, lead has been banned in paints for many years. ~ Mercury, another hazardous substance, was banned in indoor paints in 1990. Outdoor paints may still use mercury, but now require a warning label.
Trash Facts: ~ Americans throw away over 160 million tons of solid waste or trash, every year. ~ A plastic cup can take SG-80 years to decompose. ~ 5096 of the aluminum cans Americans use are recycled, making aluminum the most recycled product. ~ Paper and paperboard make up the largest percentage of trash with 38% overall.

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~ Landfills are the most common depository of trash with over 57% of our trash ending up in one.
~ There are over 2,300 landfills across the U.S. ~ The easiest method to reduce our trash accumulation
is to remember the 3 R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

apply with caution noting weather conditions. A rain or storm can wash the chemicals into a nearby waterway. ~ Choose a pesticide that has more absorption (sticks to the soil) and a quick breakdown or half-life in the soil.

Best Management Practices: (BMPs) a practi~e, or a combination ofpractices that not only minimize water pollution, but also meets the needs ofthe total ecosystem, that is soil, water, air, plants, animals. This is the most effective means of preventing or reducing the amount ofpollution generated by nonpoint sources tQ a level compatible with water quality goals.
Motor Oil:
~ Recycling is the only proper means of disposing used motor oil. Environmental companies can recycle used motor oil into new lubrication products and use it as an alternative fuel source in asphalt plants, boilers, cement kilns, and steel mills. It is important to locate a service station that does recycle used motor oil.
Pet Waste:
~ Carry a plastic bag and pick up after your dog. ~ Dispose of the waste by flushing it down your home
toilet, putting it in the garbage, (check ordinances first), or you can dig a hole 5 inches deep and make sure to keep the waste away from water, vegetable gardens, or ditches. ~ Being a good pet neighbor is good for you and your neighbors.
Pesticides:
~ Incorporate alternative forms of insect killers such as the use ofbeneficial insects into your gardening. (Ladybugs, Praying Mantis, Assassin Bugs). These can be found at any garden center and are a better choice for the environment.
~ When a decision is made to use pesticides, choose the products that are the most suitable for use on the target species.
~ Using alternative pesticides shows that you care about the earth, which helps others do the same.
~ Ifyou do use a chemical read the label carefully and

Household Cleaners:
~ Use "green" cleaners that do not contain the abrasive dyes, fragrances, and other chemicals found in standard cleaners.
~ After cleaning, throw any waste into the trash can instead of the toilet. Chemicals will leach out in a landfill instead ofyour local stream or river.
~ Recycle the cleaning containers. ~ Never mix household cleaners with other cleaners. ~ "Green" cleaners are more environmentally friendly
and show that you care about your health and the health of others. If you use abrasive cleaners, read the warning labels, so that you can keep you, your family and your pets safe. ~ Provide plenty of fresh air while using cleaners.
Lawn Chemicals:
~ Avoid using lawn chemicals excessively. ~ When scheduling a spraying, check the weather
forecast. Make sure rain is not predicted in the following few days. ~ Make sure your children and the children of your neighbors understand not to play on afreshly sprayed yard for many hours after application. ~ Check for alternative fertilizers at local garden shops. ~ Avoid using treated railway ties for landscaping or gardening. Some ties are treated with creosote, which is a mixture of toxic chemicals, which can leach out over time.
Paint:
~ Do not wash unused paint down your household drain or a storm drain.
~ Give unused paint to a friend, save it for touch ups, or use it for other household improvement jobs. Extra paint you do not intend to use can be added to kitty litter and thrown in a trash can.
~ Ifyou want to save your extra paint do not place it on a concrete floor, such as your basement. The

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metal packaging will rust from exposure to moisture and let in oxygen that will ruin the paint. ~ Position unused paint cans on their tops. This will help keep the paint "fresh" by sealing the can from oxygen.

Forestry and Wildlife Hawaii. "Watershed Protection
and Management Program Best Management Prac-
tices." State ofHawaii Department ofLand and Natural
Resources. 10 October 2001. 27 March 2005 <http://
www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/wmp/bmps.htm>.

Trash:
~ Remember the 3 R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. ~ Place all trash in a proper receptacle, such as a trash
can, recycling bin, or dumpster. ~ Check to see where ~e closest recycling center is to
your home. ~ Make sure all the trash you take to the center is
actually recyclable. ~ Never throw trash out of your car, into waterways,
or anywhere other than a trash can. ~ Set up a compost pile. Don't throw your banana
peels and eggshells in the garbage. Put them in your compost pile with coffee grounds and other organic material. Composting is a great way to give your garden an incredible amount of nutrients and it is an easy way to recycle your waste!. ~ If composting, make sure you turn the compost over occasionally. This will help oxygenate your compost and add coffee grinds to help the soil to become more acidic.
Sources
AG GRAND. "How to Grow Healthy, Vigorous Plants and Remove All of the Hassle and Eliminate the Chemicals." AG Grand. 16 October 2000. 1 February 2005 <http://www.guarding-our-earth.com/dealers/aggrandlindex.htm>.

Johnson, Carolyn. GWQ006 Pet Waste and Water Quality Cooperative Extemion.Wisconsin: University ofWisconsin Department of Natural Resources UW Extension Publications, 2002.
Keep America Beautiful. "Trash Facts." Keep America Beautiful. 2005. 1 February 2005 <http://www.kab. org/aboutus.asp?id=155&rid=156>.
Manitoba. "Manitoba Water Stewardship." Manitoba. 1 February 2005 <http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/ watres/water_guidellawnsand.html>.
Pollution Prevention Assistance Division. Homepage. 1 February 2005 www.p2ad.org.
Simple Green. Homepage. 2005. 1 February 2005 <http:/I consumer.simplegreen.com>.
Soap and Detergent Association. "Facts About Household Cleaning." SDA 15 June 1999.1 February 2005 h t t p : //www.sdahq.org/sdalatestlhtmllhouseclean5 .htm.
State Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Agricultural Best Management Practicesfor Protecting Water Quality in Georgia. Georgia: Georgia Environmental Protection Division, 1994.

Austin City Connection. "Watershed Protection Development Review." 1995.27 March 2005 <www.ci.austin. tx.us/watershedlpetwaste.htm Watershed>.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Environmentally Preferable Purchasing." US EPA. 15 October 2004. 1 February 2005 <http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp/cleaner.htm>.

Clean Water Campaign. "Solutions to Stormwater Pollution." Homepage. 1 February 2005 <www.cleanwatercampa.tgn.com>.
Earth 911. "Making Everyday Earth Day." Homepage. 1996-2005. 1 February 2005 <www.cleanup.org>.

US Environmental Protection Agency. "Sources of Indoor Air Pollution- Organic Gases (Volatile Organic Compounds- VOCs)." 18 November 2004. 27 March 2005 <www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html> .

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Visual Props for the Suspects
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StupcctH- Male

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Suggested Role Play Props
Suspect #1 - oil change sign, motor oil can, wrench and working car parts, bandana to wipe face, etc. Suspect #2 - Dog leashes, stuffed dog toys Suspect# 3 - Garden gloves, hat, spade, flower pots with flowers in them, garden apron with tools, etc. Suspect# 4 - broom, cleaning items, detergents, all labeled biodegradable, dust pan Suspects # 5 and #6 - cell phone to call lawn care to come daily, lawn care sign for front yard Suspects# 7 and# 8 - paint brushes, painter hat, buckets, small step ladder Suspects# 9 and# 10 - candy wrappers, soda cans, other litter Badge for Environmental Compliance Officer Glasses, dress jacket for Expert Witness Gavel and robe for Judge Clearwater

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Water Pollution on Trial Rubric for Assessment
Assessment 2: Give students the visual props pictures and have them list the pollution potentially associated with each picture, labeling whether it comes from a point or nonpoint source.

Category

4

3

2

1

Comprehension

Students identify more than 4 reasonable, insightful barriers/ problems that need to change.

Students identify at least 4 reasonable, insightful barriers/problems that need to change.

Students identify at least Students identify

3 reasonable, insightful fewer than 3 reason-

barriers/problems that able, insightful bar-

need to change.

riers/problems that

need to change.

Comprehension

Student completely understands the ways people contribute to pollution.

Student understands the ways people contribute to pollution for the most part.

Student somewhat understands the ways people contribute to pollution.

Student does not understand the ways people contribute to pollution.

Comprehension

Student fully understands the differences between and sources of point and nonpoint source pollution.

Student mostly understands the differences between point and nonpoint source pollution and mostly understands their sources.

Student does not understand the differences between point and nonpoint source pollution OR cannot identify their sources.

Student does not understand point and nonpoint source pollution AND cannot identify the sources of point and nonpoint sources pollution.

Assessment 3: Ask students to write a paragraph describing how any nonpoint source pollution associated with the pictures can be prevented.

Category Organization

4
The paragraph is well organized, with a clear introduction, explanation of ideas, and conclusion.

Comprehension

Students identify more than 4 reasonable, insightful possible prevention strategies to encourage change.

3
The paragraph is mostly organized, and an introduction, explanation, and conclusion are present.
Students identify at least 4 reasonable, insightful possible prevention strategies to encourage change.

2
The paragraph has one main idea, but the sentences are not organized into an introduction, explanation, and conclusion.
Students identify at least 3 reasonable, insightful possible prevention strategies to encourage change.

1 The paragraph is disorganized or is constructed of several unrelated ideas.
Students identify fewer than 3 reasonable, insightful possible prevention strategies to encourage change.

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Sewer System Soup

Summary
In an action packed activity, students will become wastewater and stormwater as
they flow to and from various places such as storm drains, through combined and separated sewers to the wastewater treatment facility, or they may end up in a combined sewer overflow treatment facility or go directory to the river.

Grade Level: Upper Elementary, Middle School
Subject Areas: Science, Music, Math, Physical Education
Duration: Set up and Prep time: 20 minutes Activity: 90 minutes
Setting: Outdoors or in a classroom
Skills: Organizing, interpreting, synthesis, analyzing
Charting the Course: Do the Project WET activity "A-maze-ing Water" prior to doing the "Sewer System Soup" Activity
Vocabulary: combined sewer overflow (CSO), combined sewer system, regulator, separated sewer system, wastewater, stormwater

Objectives
Students will: ~ Understand that in some cases wastewater and stormwater travel in the same pipe called a combined sewer to a wastewater treatment plant. ~ Understand that storms and heavy rain may cause water in the combined pipes to bypass wastewater treatment and move through the CSO (combined sewer overflow) treatment facility, enter the tunnel, and then go to the enhanced CSO treatment facility before entering the river. ~ Understand that the underground storage conveyance tunnels will hold wastewater that bypasses treatment in combined pipe systems until it can be sent to the enhanced CSO treatment facility. ~ Investigate the possible routes that stormwater and wastewater take once it enters either a combined or a separated sewer system. ~ Understand that stormwater in a separated sewer system goes to the stream/ river without treatment.
Assessments
~ Give students questions from the post-test -15 and 18.
~ Ask students to draw and label the separated sewer system and the combined sewer system to show how wastewater and stormwater travel in each system. (See "Go with the Flow")
Materials
~ Cones, rope, yam, or chalk to mark off the maze where the water will travel to the wastewater treatment facility, to the CSO control facility, tunnel,
. enhanced CSO treatment, and river (See Sewer System Soup field map designs provided).
~ 5 Hula Hoops total - 1 Hula Hoop for Wastewater Treatment, 2 Hula Hoops for the CSO Treatment Facility and 1 Hula Hoop for the Enhanced CSO Treatment (You can substitute hoops with chalk, tape, rope, or yam)
~ Operator ID tags for 1 Wastewater Treatment Facility Operators, 1 CSO operator, 1 Enhanced CSO Treatment Operator, 1 Regulator, 1 Gate, and 1 Pump
~ 1 Rain and Storm card person ~ Stormwater and Wastewater ID tags for students

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'. ~ ~~...
------------------------------------~~

~ Signs for Wastewater Treatment Facility, Combined Sewer Treatment (CSO) Facility, Enhanced CSO Treatment Facility, Tunnel, and Storm Drains (Tape to cones to mark these areas)
~ Clipboards, student data sheets ~ String, yarn, or ribbon to make student ID cards ~ Note: The number of tags a~d signs is dependent
on the total number of students.
Making Connections
When students flush their toilets they know that wastewater goes to a wastewater treatment plant but probably are not aware that wastewater and stormwater can travel in separated or combined sewers to the treatment plant. Rain and storms affect the wastewater collection system.
Background
Wastewater is water that has been used and leaves our homes, schools and businesses through combined or separated pipes and travels to the wastewater treatment plant in the wastewater collection system and eventually to the river. Stormwater is water that accumulates after a storm and carries many kinds of contaminants such as animal waste, oil, grease, fertilizers, trash and litter, and sediment for example. Many of these contaminants come across the land with stormwater runoff from sources that are difficult to identifY and they are called nonpoint source pollution. The stormwater rushes over streets and hard paved areas in runoff and enters the sewer system through storm drains in our communities. Nonpoint source pollution is the largest source of pollution to urban waterways. Stormwater in a combined sewer system goes to the wastewater treatment plant with the wastewater and in a separated sewer system it travels to the river without treatment.
Combined sewer systems are sewers that are designed to collect domestic sewage, industrial wastewater, and stormwater in the same pipe. Under normal circumstances this wastewater mixture is sent to a wastewater treatment plant where it is treated and then discharged to a body ofwater. During heavy rainfalls,
when the wastewater treatment plant is full, combined
sewer overflows receive the excess wastewater and

stormwater. This mixture contains nonpoint source pollution, untreated human and industrial waste, and associated debris. The combined sewer overflow (CSO) facility gives the wastewater and stormwater a minimal screening and disinfection prior to release to the river. These types of sewers were built from the late 1800's until the mid 1900's in many American cities. This practice has been largely discontinued today. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a Combined Sewer Overflow Policy in 1994. In accordance to the policy, Atlanta developed a CSO Improvement plan that has been approved by EPA and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). This multi-billion dollar plan includes the separation of about 85 miles of the city's over 300 miles of combined sewers and the construction of two separate conveyance tunnels to collect sewage and stormwater until it can be conveyed to the enhanced CSO treatment plant. While the CSO Improvement Plan will not totally eliminate CSOs, it will decrease the frequency of overflows and consequently, increase the quality of Georgia's waterways.
Today due to improvements, when wastewater and stormwater leaves the CSO, it flows into an underground storage tunnel and is then pumped to the enhanced CSO treatment facility before being returned to the river.
Most wastewater and stormwater in Atlanta travels in a separated sewer system. In this system, the wastewater goes to the wastewater treatment plant and the stormwater goes directly to the river without treatment. The wastewater and stormwater travel in separate pipes and they do not mix together. There are over 1,500 miles of separated sewer lines in the City ofAtlanta collection system.

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Procedure
WarmUp
Have all students learn the "Combined System Shufjle" and the "Separated System Shufjle" songs and sing the songs as the activity warm up. It is difficult to sing while you are a participant in the activity. Singing will help students sequence the flow of the combined and separated pipe systems and become familiar with the vocabulary. After singing the songs ask students to explain the difference between a combined and a separated sewer system.
The Activity
1. Discuss with students where water goes after we use it to flush toilets, or wash the dishes. Students will know that it goes down the drain, but ask them what happens to the wastewater after that. Discuss that it goes into a sewer pipe that is underground and the pipe is either a combined sewer (that carries both wastewater and stormwater) or a separated sewer that carries wastewater in one separated pipe to the treatment plant and stormwater in another separated pipe directly to the river. Make sure students understand the difference between wastewater and stormwater. Ase there any advantages in having the sewer pipes combined or separated? Tell the students they are going to become wastewater and stormwater and experience the journey through the sewer pipes to the wastewater treatment plant and decide whether they think a combined or a separated pipe is better for wastewater treatment and water protection. Did they have any overflows during serious rain episodes? Is the tunnel helping? Which system seems to work best?
2. Select students to represent facility operators, weather sign holder, wastewater and stormwater, regulator, gate, pump, and data recorders. Place signs for the various locations that water can travel in these sewer pipe systems on the cones in the field using the field diagram to locate the proper placement.
Student Assignments:
~ 1 wastewater treatment plant operator - ID tag ~ 1 combined sewer facility (CSO) operator- ID tag ~ 1 enhanced combined sewer facility operator (CSO)
- ID tag

~ 1 rain and 1 storm sign holder- 2 signs/1 weather person
~ 3 data recorders - 1 records data for the wastewater treatment facility, 1 records data for the CSO and the tunnel and 1 records data for the enhanced CSO treatment facility, and for the overflows - 3 clipboards, 3 different colored pencils and student data sheets
~ 1 regulator - ID tag ~ 1 gate - ID tag ~ 1 pump - ID tag ~ Students left are equally divided into stormwater
and wastewater students - ID tags
Place Signs:
~ wastewater from homes/schools/businesses- 1 sign ~ storm drains - 2 signs ~ wastewater treatment facility - 1 sign ~ combined sewer control facility - 1 sign ~ tunnel - 1 sign ~ enhanced CSO treatment facility - 1 sign ~ river- 1 sign
Field Set-Up and Sign Placements
3. Set up the wastewater and stormwater collection pipe systems in a large indoor room or preferably in a field area outdoors using the field diagrams provided. The first two rounds are the combined pipe systems and will use the Combined Pipe System field diagrams. The third round is a Separated Pipe System and the field/room is set up using the Separated Pipe System field diagram. Round I uses the Past Combined Pipe System Diagram. Round II uses the Present/Future Combined Pipe System Diagram and Round III uses the Present Separated Pipe System Diagram. Use your field cones, tape, chalk, yarn, ropes etc. to mark the path for the pipe that goes to the wastewater treatment plant, CSO facility, tunnel, and enhanced CSO facility. The CSO facility will be in line with and to the side of the regulator along with the tunnel and enhanced CSO treatment facility (See field diagram for placement of facilities). The regulator will control flow away from the wastewater treatment facility when it is at capacity and send excess wastewater and stormwater to the CSO facility, tunnel, and enhanced CSO treatment during heavy rainfall. Place storm drain signs along the

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combined pipe above the regulator near the wastewater entrance. Storm drain signs can be attached to field cones. Place signs on the wastewater treatment facility, the CSO facility, the tunnel, and the enhanced CSO facility. Make the pipe large enough across for several students to move through the pipe at the same time. Place 1 hula hoop or yarn circle for the Wastewater Treatment Plant and no more than 2 persons can enter a hoop at one time. Place 2 hoops at the CSO and make one large circle for the tunnel using yarn, rope, or cones. The tunnel can hold up to 10 students in the activity. Atlanta is only allowed on average, 4 overflows per year and .the tunnel is an improvement to hold excess water until it can be treated during normal operation. There is 1 hoop at the enhanced CSO facility.
Weather Person, Data Recorders and Facility Operators 4. Give the weather person the Rain and Storm signs. The weather person should shout rain and then later storm from time to time during the activity and hold the sign up so that everyone can see when it is raining and when it is storming. The weather person sign holder should keep the sign up long enough (thirty seconds) to see the effects of a hard rain on the urban watershed and the wastewater treatment facility. Give stormwater or wastewater ID tags to all students who are not designated as operators, data recorders or weather sign holders. Give the wastewater treatment facility operator, CSO operator, enhanced CSO facility treatment operator, regulator, gate, and pump persons ID tags. The data recorders will need a clipboard, a data sheet for each round, and three different colored pencils or pens to record the data.
Activity Flow
5. Call the wastewater students to the top of the maze or pipe and explain that they are leaving homes, schools and businesses as wastewater and are going to be traveling through the wastewater collection system in a combined sewer pipe outlined by the cones. Each wastewater student enters the pipe after the count of3. The wastewater students should walk and swirl around other students as they travel through the pipe. If the rain or storm sign is held up, the wastewater students continue to move into the pipe at a 3 count. Wastewater

is coming from homes, schools, and businesses and is not affected by the weather. However, stormwater students are affected by the weather. They enter the pipe at the storm drain signs/cones on each side of the combined pipe making sure that they enter the pipe well above the position of the regulator. Stormwater students need to watch the weather sign and move into the storm drain and into the combined pipe ONLY when they see the rain sign or the storm sign. They enter at a 3 count during the rain sign and move immediately into the pipe during the storm sign. Students move through the pipe to the river and then return to their starting positions again. They have returned to the water cycle, have evaporated, become precipitation, entered the man-made water cycle and have become wastewater from homes, schools, or businesses or stormwater lined up behind the storm drains. Students always enter the pipe or storm drain one at a time.
Round I
Past- Combined Pipe Movement- Use the Round I Diagram 1. Line up the home and industry wastewater at the top of the maze/pipe and have the stormwater students line up at storm drains in a line behind one another along the maze/pipe where there are storm drain signs. (See field diagrams) Students mix with each other as they move through the combined pipe by turning in circles around the other water students while traveling the pipe system. They do not walk in a straight line. Wastewater students begin moving when the activity begins and students enter the pipe one at a time slowly to every count of three. Their pace does not change due to weather conditions. Stormwater students enter when it begins to rain and only move into the pipe when it is raining or storming. Stormwater students can move quickly during a storm but no running. The activity begins and ends when the teacher says "GO" and "STOP". Wastewater students begin moving when the teacher says "GO". In the combined sewer pipe students move toward the wastewater treatment plant or will be directed by the regulator to the combined sewer treatment facility (CSO) if the plant is full. Students move through screening and disinfection at the CSO and enter the river and return to their starting position.

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2. Wastewater treatment facility operators -The student who represents the wastewater treatment facility operator supervises each wastewater or stormwater student who enters the wastewater treatment hoop and spins 3 times representing treatment before being released to the river. The operator shouts "clean" as the wastewater spins by turning in a circle. There can only be .2 persons at a time in the hoop and 2 persons can be waiting before the treatment plant is declared full in which the wastewater
operator will shout "full". After they spin three times in
the hoop the wastewater or stormwater students exit, go to the river, evaporate and return to the man-made water cycle and back in line to begin again.
3. The regulator sends students to the combined sewer overflow facility (CSO) if the wastewater treatment plant is full. In the combined wastewater system, there is a device called a regulator that is capable of routing water to the CSO facility if the wastewater treatment plant is full. The student who is selected to be the regulator reroutes the wastewater and stormwater to the CSO during the activity. They will have to watch and see how full the wastewater treatment plant is at all times. If there are more than 2 persons in the hoop and more than 2 waiting, the treatment facility is full. The regulator will stand to the side with arms straight out and will direct flow to the CSO by changing arm positions and directing flow to the CSO treatment facility. The regulator will feel pressure during rain episodes.
4. The combined sewer overflow facility operator will observe the wastewater or stormwater student spinning one time in each hoop and will say "screening" and then "disinfecting" and will release them to the river. All students that are sent to the CSO go through this treatment (acility by spinning once in each hoop and going to the river. The CSO can handle more water than the wastewater treatment facility and if there are more than 2 persons in each hoop, the facility is full and any other stormwater or wastewater person arriving at the CSO will become an overflow. These students will bypass the CSO and go to the river untreated. The data recorder should record all overflows. In the past, without tunnels and further treatment, these overflows represented serious threats to water quality.

5. Data recorders will position themselves next to the wastewater treatment plant, the CSO treatment facility, and the river. They will record using slash marks, the numbers of students treated at these locations and use different colored pencils during the rain and storm events. They will use a black pen during normal conditions, a blue pen during rain, and a red pen during storm conditions. One data recorder records wastewater, another recorder tracks the CSO treatment facility, and another recorder tracks any overflows. At the end of the round the data recorders can total their results. Make sure they use the correct data recording sheet for each round.
Round II
Present/Future Combined Pipe Movement- Use the
Round II Diagram
6. The tunnel and enhanced CSO treatment facility are part of the improvements Adanta is implementing to avoid further overflows in the river and to meet Clean Water Act standards. In this round when wastewater and stormwater students travel to the CSO treatment facility during heavy rains they will also go to the tunnel for storage and then to the enhanced CSO treatment facility before going to the river. They will receive screening, some primary treatment (setding) and disinfection at the enhanced CSO treatment facility. A stormwater or wastewater student that has been directed by the regulator to the CSO treatment facility, goes to the tunnel which is a large circle on the field outlined with chalk, rope, cones, or yarn. The circle/ tunnel can hold up to 10 wastewaterlstormwater students. The only way the students can leave the tunnel is for the Pump person to pump them out. The Pump student points at a student, makes a pumping motion three times, and sends that student to the enhanced CSO treatment facility. One student will be the pump at the tunnel and carefully watches the enhanced CSO treatment facility. The Pump can send someone to this facility when there are less than two persons at the enhanced CSO treatment facility. The wastewater and stormwater students leave the tunnel one at a time after the Pump person pumps three times. The pump sends one person at a time from the circle to the enhanced CSO treatment facility for treatment and must work hard to keep the tunnel from becoming too full. A tunnel holds more than 400 mil-

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lion gallons ofwater daily (mgd) so it would take a large rain episode to cause the tunnel to be full. CSO facilities actually handle more water than the water treatment plant because they are taking in both wastewater and stormwater. The gate person at the tunnel determines when the storage tunnel is full If there are more than 10 persons in the tunnel, the gate peFSon stretches their arms out to the side signifying that the tunnel gate is closed. Any wastewater or stormwater person moving from CSO treatment now calls out OVERFLOW and moves to the river with no further treatment. At the same time the pump will be working hard to move water to the enhanced CSO facility to make room in the tunnel for more water to avoid any further overflows. The data recorder records any overflows. Atlanta Wastewater Treatment is only allowed an average of4 overflows per year.
7. The enhanced CSO treatment facility is the final phase of treatment prior to release ofwastewater and stormwater to the river. No more than two students can enter the Enhanced CSO Treatment Facility at a time. Rapid treatment takes place at this facility prior to water being released to the river. The enhanced CSO treatment operator will observe the wastewater and stormwater students spinning two times in each hoop saying "clean" before they are released to the river.
8. Data recorders- The three data recorders will position next to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Combined Sewer Overflow Facility, Tunnel, and Enhanced CSO Facility, and count the number of students moving through these places by using the student data sheet to record numbers using slash marks. One recorder records numbers moving through wastewater treatment, one recorder records CSO treatment and overflows and the other recorder can watch the tunnel and the enhanced CSO treatment facility. If you have a large number of students you can assign one recorder per area. You may want to change the color of pen or pencil to reflect the numbers during rain and storm conditions.
Round III
Separated Pipe Movement- Use Round III Diagram 9. Change the pipe pattern to reflect the Separated Pipe field diagram so that wastewater and stormwater move

in separated pipes. Stormwater will go directly to the river with no treatment and wastewater will go directly to the wastewater treatment plant. You will need a second pipe moving to the river from the storm drains and the wastewater and stormwater will be separated and will not move together through the pipes. There is no CSO, tunnel, or stormwater treatment in this round.
10. Students will follow the same directions except that there are now two separate pipes on the field. The stormwater goes straight to the river and wastewater goes to the 'wastewater treatment plant. Remind students about all the contaminants and nonpoint sources of pollution (see A-maze-ing Water Activity) in stormwater that enter the river with no treatment in a separated pipe system. Nonpoint source pollution is the largest pollution in the urban waterways. Look again at the "You're the Solution to Water Pollution" poster that explains the different kinds of nonpoint source pollution.
11. Student data recorders will count how many students were treated in the wastewater treatment plant, and how many went to the river as stormwater with no treatment.
WrapUp Now that the students have experienced a combined pipe system of the past, a combined pipe system that has been improved, and a separated pipe system conduct a discussion about the difference in the piping systems. Which system had the greatest number of overflow-S? Remind them that most ofAtlanta is using a separated pipe system. Do students feel that this system is a better system than the present combined pipe system using tunnels and an enhanced CSO treatment facility? Which system does the best job protecting water quality? Does the data support the decision? Which system deals most effectively with nonpoint source pollution and why? What types of actions can students take to help reduce nonpoint source pollution?
Resource
For an excellent graphic on combined and separated sewer systems, go to: http://www.cleanwateratlanta.org/ EnvironmentalEducation/SewerSystem.htrnl

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Combined System Shuffie
CSO Shuffle - Song for the Combined Pipe System (to the tune of the Hokie Pokie)
You do the CSO Shuffle And you're mixing all around Going down in the pipe And under the ground.
You do the splishy splashy tumble . And the dippity dash rumble
On the way to the Treatment Plant.
Wastewater from the house Stormwater from the drain Mix together in the pipe With help from the rain.
You do the splishy splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble On the way to the Treatment Plant.
You're doing the CSO Shuffie And it rains all night, Wastewater, stormwater, Rushing through the pipe.
You do the splishy splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble On the way to the Treatment Plant.
Wastewate~ stormwater At the Treatment Plant door, But you can't get in 'Cause there's no room for more.
You do the splishy splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble On the way to the CSO you go.
At the CSO facility You're moving through a screen. Chemicals are added To make the water clean. You do the splishy splashy tumble

And the dippity dash rumble On the way to the tunnel you go:
Then you move into the tunnel And you swim all around Then on to more treatment Now you're riverbound.
You do the splishy, splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble On the way to the river you go. On the way to the river you go.
Then evaporate And start all over again You're in a big dark cloud And it's about to rain,
You do the splishy splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble Down to the mountain you go. Down to the mountain you go.

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Separated System ShufHe
For the Separated Pipe System
In a separated pipe There's no mixing around You go down in the pipe And under the ground.
You do the splishy splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble On the way to (the river orthe Treatment Plant) you go.
Wastewater from the house Stormwater from the drain Never mix together 'Cause their pipes are not the same.

You do the splishy splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble Off to the river you go
Then evaporate And start all over again You're in a big dark cloud And it's about to rain.
You do the splishy, splashy, tumble And the dippity, dash rumble Down to the mountain you go. Down to the mountain you go.

You do the splishy splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble On to the river/ or the Treatment Plant you go.

Wastewater arrives At the Treatment Plant door And goes right in And gets cleaned some more.

You do the splishy splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble On to the river you go.
Wastewater gets cleaned Now off you go Back to the river You're back in natures' flow.

The regulator routes wastewater to the CSO at A.D. Williams Elementary in Adanta.

You do the splishy splashy tumble And the dippity dash rumble On to the river! or the Treatment Plant you go.

Stormwater keeps moving To the river it goes No Treatment Plant stops It continues its flow.

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8 Student Copy Page
Student Data Sheet- Sewer System Soup
Record numbers with slash marks
ROUNDl
Wastewater treatment-------------------------------------------------------------------
CSO Treatment -------------------------------------------------------------------Ove~ows __________________________________________________________________________
Totals:____
ROUND2
Wastewater treatment------------------------------------------------------------------
CSO Treatment ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Tunnel Treatment--------------------------------------------------------------------
Enhanced CSO Treatment _____________________________________________________________
Ove~ows --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals::_ __
ROUND3
Wastewater treatment ________________________________________________________________
Stormwater to River ------------------------------------------------------------------Totals::_ __

A.D. Williams Elementary-CSO Facility Treatment during the activity Sewer System Soup. Atlanta, Georgia

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------~-----------------------------------------' ~~~
Combined Pipe Field Diagram

Precipitation

Homes, Schools, and Businesses

z;1?7
0 ~ f 0

Start Wastewater
6. 6.

~ f Start
f Storm Drain

6.

6.

0 f ~

0 ~ f ~.
0 A L...::.

I A T L...::.

0 J*l Regulator

0 " Evaporation

~

KEY . ~ =Student fl =Cone
*=Plant Operator
0 = Sign Holder
Start Storm Drain
CSO Plant~
Operator N
CSO Treatment Facilty
Overflow

Treatment Plant*



Plant Operator

&&&&&River

Round 1: Past Combined Pipe System

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Combined Pipe Field Diagram

Precipitation

Homes, Schools, and Businesses

KEY

tJ?7

0~ D

~

0

Start Storm Drain

Start Wastewater

f L,

L,

ff L,

L,

~ =Student
*6,. =Cone = Plant Operator
0 =Sign Holder
Start Storm Drain

0 0

L,~ f ll L ~ L,ffL,II

0
Evaporation
0

j CSO Plant~6,
lfl1' Operator N

Tuf"el 6,Re.guilator
~' 6



CSO

Facilty

~
~

6

G ~
ateN
~o:;ow

* Treatment Plant Plant Operator

f. ff 6 ~ Pump* Enhanced CSO N

Treatment Facilty

' R"IV~&&&' & River

Round 2: Present/Future Combined Pipe System

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _,'. g

Separated Pipe Field Diagram

Precipitation ~ ~ ~ ~

.;-7 Homes, Schools,

51 (/""'
(/"
~

and Businesses Start Wastewater
D,. ~ D,.

Start Storm Drain
D,. ~ D,.

~

~

~

6. 6.

6. ~ 6.

KEY Jl = Student
*V
b.. = Cone
Plant Operator
0 = Sign Holder

~

~

~

~

~ 6. 6. 6. ~~6.

Evaporation

~

~

~ 6.
* Treatment Plant Plant Operator

~ 6. 6.
~
0

Riv~&&&&River

Round 3: Present Separated Pipe System

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IS Student Copy Page

EXISTING COMBINED SEWER SYSTEM

Dry VVeather

11\tJen It Bains

In a combined sewer system, domestic sewage combine wtth storm water In the same pipe. In the event of heavy rains, the storm water can cause an overflow Into a receiving stream.

AFTER SEPARATION

Dry ~ther

\MJen It Bains

r- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -
ln a separate sewer system, domestic sewage and storm"Nater flow Into separate pipes. The
sewage Is diverted to a wastewater 1reatment plant and storm water Is released untreated to a
recelvl ng stream.

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0

0

Enhanced CSO Treatment Operator

o o
Wastewater

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~-) --------------------

0

0

Storm water

0

0

Regulator

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- -------------------'~ ~~ ~

0

0

Wastewater Treatment Operator

Wastewater Treatment Facility

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Storm Drain

0

0

CSO Operator

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'i A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------~ ?4--~

0

0

Gate

0

0

Pump

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Enhanced CSO Treatment Facility

Tunnel

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------------------~, ~
Combined Sewer Overflow Facility

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Student Copy Page

Go WithThe Flow- StudentAssessment

DIRECTIONS: Below you will see all the places that wastewater and stormwater can go in either a combined or separated sewer pipe system. Please fill in the boxes with the names of the places that water will travel according to the weather conditions. You may not have to fill in all boxes. See example provided for illustration.

Possible Travel Locations For StonnwaterAnd Wastewater:
~ CSO Treatment Facility ~ Wastewater Treatment Facility ~ Wastewater from Homes, Schools, and Businesses ~ Stormwater enters Storm Drain ~ Enhanced CSO Treatment Facility ~ Tunnel ~ River

Example: Separated Sewer Pipe System (This is not necessarily a correct order)

~l..__ ...___c_s_o _....

ru_v_e_r_ __.

Fill In The Blanks: A) Present/future Combined Sewer Pipe System With Heavy Rain And Wastewater Treatment Facility Is Full
Wastewater and stormwater from:

B) Present Separated Sewer Pipe System (Stormwater Pipe) Stormwater From:

C) Present Separated Sewer Pipe System (Wastewater) Wastewater From:

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Go With The Flow-TeacherAnswer Sheet

DIRECTIONS: Below you will see all the places that wastewater and stormwater can go in either a combined or separated sewer pipe system. Please fill in the boxes with the names of the places that water will travel according to the weather conditions. You may not have to fill in all boxes. See example provided for illustration.

Possible Travel Locations For StormwaterAnd Wastewater:
~ CSO Treatment Facility ~ Wastewater Treatment Facility ~ Wastewater from Homes, Schools, and Businesses ~ Stormwater enters Storm Drain ~ Enhanced CSO Treatment Facility ~ Tunnel ~ River

Example: Separated Sewer Pipe System (This is not necessarily a correct order)

River

~---c-so----~~~~---Riv---u--~

Fill In The Blanks: A) Present/future Combined Sewer Pipe System With Heavy Rain And WastewaterTreatment Facility Is Full
Wastewater and stormwater from:
IH~~:!soo~~ I StormDmn ~ .l....._c_s_o_ __.~ .l._.'~~__n_n_el_ _,~ ._i_:C.._h:m_"_=_t~-~-..0... River
B) Present Separated Sewer Pipe System (Stormwater Pipe)
Stormwater From:
I StormDrUn ~ ...__R_iIver______.~ ...___I___,~ ...___I___,~...___I________.~ I..._________.
C) Present Separated Sewer Pipe System (Wastewater)
Wastewater From:
I"B~:!soo~~ ~T~~aciL~ ._I__ _er_ Riv;_ _.~ 1..._____.~ .~.. -----'~ I.______,

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Greening the Asphalt

Summary
Students will experience the dilemma ofbeing a city planner and making decisions about development in a card game format. The student/team who demonstrates the best balance ofgreen space and impervious surface will be hired by the City of Atlanta to develop the new eco-friendly corridor in the City.

Grade level:
Upper Elementary, Middle School
Subject Areas: Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Duration: Preparation time: 30 minutes
Activity time: 60 Minutes
Setting: Indoor or Outdoor Classroom
Skills: Organizing, analyzing, interpreting, presenting
Charting the Course:
This lesson is better understood after students experience the lesson A-maze-ing Water and Sewer System Soup that will demonstrate how water moves through a storm drain and how stormwater is linked to water
quality.
Vocabulary: impervious surface, green space,
porous pavement, urban heat island effect, rooftop garden

Objectives
Students will: ~ Analyze their development choices for the city and the impact on water quality. ~ Learn the effects of impervious surfaces and green space development on water quality.
Assessments
~ Give the students a question from the post-test - 2. ~ Ask the students to write a paragraph on how they planned their city. Did they
put in impervious surfaces? Did they include green space? How do impervious surfaces and green space development impact water quality? (Rubric) ~ Have students take a walk on their school campus and make a design of the school, parking areas, nature trail, gardens and walkways. After they have created the school campus design, ask them to color the areas that are impervious surfaces and the areas that are green space. What percent of the school campus
do they think is impervious and what percent is green space? (Rubric)
Materials
~ Playing cards (1 set for a small group, or 2 or 3 sets for a large number of students playing- every player needs five cards at all times)
~ 1 score card per student ~ 11 x 17 property board piece, one per team of 4-6 students ~ Crayons to color in score card (1 color and 1 gray crayon per student) ~ 2 Trays filled with soil or mulch ~ Spray bottle with water ~ Black plastic ~ 2 Thermometers ~ Grass and sod ~ Rocks and sand ~ Tape
Making Connections
Students will see how difficult it is to be a city planner and balance the needs of people, animals, and our natural resources when developing in an urban area. They will realize that the actions of everyone, even in their own backyard, will make a

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difference in the quality of the water and environment.
It is important for them to realize the consequences of
impervious surface and green space development in an urban area, and the impact such development has on streams.
Background
What does impervious mean? In order to understand why we have a problem with stormwater in Atlanta, we need to look closely at the impervious surface in the city and throughout the watershed. Impervious means a surface that is hard and will not allow water to percolate or soak into the soil.
What are the impacts ofimpervious surfaces on an urban watershed? In an Urban Watershed, impervious surfaces increase as the city develops. The Metropolitan Atlanta population growth from 3-4.1 million and the parallel spread of paved and other impervious surfaces in the last decade, has inflicted a heavy toll on the region's watersheds. When impervious surfaces cover areas where water naturally seeps into underground water sources or aquifers, they reduce the amount ofwater available for wells and springs. For the most part they are constructed surfaces like sidewalks, parking lots, and rooftops and they are covered with materials like brick, stone, asphalt, or concrete. The runoff from these impervious surfaces erodes soil, pollutes streams, degrades habitat, and disrupts normal water seepage. This growth is predicted to continue, which will lead to degraded streams. Development growth in Georgia is forecast to increase from 20 million acres in 1992 to 72-81 million acres by 2040. This is primarily due to an increase in land value as more people want to live in Georgia. Compared to preserved land, the doUar value of single family residential homes is 253 times, 552 times for land in commercial/retail use, and up to 2535 times for industrial use (Harrison 2002). "This tremendous increase in land valuation places intense economic pressure promoting development ofland to urban use whenever the demand exists" (Harrison 2002). A study of all Georgia's 1865 watersheds with an average acreage of 31.5 square miles each, found that 51 of them, mostly in the 16 county metro area, have significantly increased

impervious surface development (Harrison 2002). These surfaces are "desert-like" in terms of hydrology and climate. Impervious surfaces impact water quality and quantity and have higher thermal temperatures than do vegetated areas. Many nonpoint sources of pollution collect on these surfaces and are then transported by stormwater to the nearest stream or river. Impervious surface development is a serious issue with serious water pollution consequences (Harrison 2002).
What is green space and why is it important in an urban watershed? Green space is land that is left undeveloped, or developed in a way that allows water to filter through the soil before it reaches the aquifers. Green space can be in the form of a park, garden, rooftop garden, forest conservation site, or any place in which an impervious surface does not restrict the percolation ofwater, or the natural ability of soil and
vegetation to absorb moisture. It is difficult for a city to
preserve green space as a result of the high value placed on land within an urban watershed. City developers must be careful to maintain a balance between impervious surface and green space development. A city covered with impervious surfaces and no green space will result in much water pollution, while it is unrealistic to plan a city to have all green space and no impervious areas. Metro Atlanta city planners must start planning for green space in the metro area in order to avoid unnecessary stormwater degradation in streams and help improve water quality throughout the city.
Early urban development A hundred years ago, trains and streetcars supported downtown business districts by bringing shoppers and workers from all over the region. Development in the suburbs was kept within walking distance of streetcar lines. Land use combinations evolved within the constraints of daily walking distances. City streets were paved with cobblestones, which were permeable to small amounts of rainfall and runoff. Minor residential streets had no curbs; instead they were usually flanked by swales or ditches that kept streets passable during moderate rainfalls.

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Auto-oriented development Since the development of the automobile in the early years of this century, its use has been subsidized with public investment and land use regulation. Local governments spent millions of dollars to widen the cobbled streets and repave them with asphalt. The Federal government began subsidizing auto use in 1916 and 1921 with Federal Road Acts to construct and improve auto roads, support the formation and operation of state highway departments, and link state highways into national networks. To enable Georgia to participate in the new program, the General Assembly created a State Highway Board in August 1916. In 1925, federal highway spending topped $1 billion per year. In 1956, the federal government began the Interstate system, which added 41 ,000 miles of connecting and beltway expressways and subsidized the widening of local roads to accommodate auto traffic. By the early 1970s paving was referred to as "the nation's biggest endowed business" (Sorvig, 1993). Each year, in the United States, we are paving or repaving half a million acres (Ferguson, 1996). The new highways opened up rural areas to suburban development. Georgia's citizens moved from farms to urban areas, and from the central sections of cities to the fringes. Sewer and water lines were extended into low-density suburbs. City development was refitted to accommodate the car. Zoning codes, originally devised to protect residential neighborhoods from incompatible industries, grew to segregate every detailed category ofland use from every other. They imposed exclusive reliance on cars for daily transportation by requiring homogeneous, lowdensity residential development across large areas. Street pavement widths increased by more than 50 percent to favor rapid, unobstructed automobile traffic. Parking lots became essential adjuncts to suburban stores and offices that had once fronted on city sidewalks. As land uses spread farther apart with only auto roads as connectors, more cars were needed to link them back together, and more asphalt and concrete were needed to maintain the connectors.

Procedure
An activity that presents the concept of non-point
source pollution runoff
Warm-up
1) Prepare tray A ~ Fill the tray with a layer of sand, rock or small gravel, and clay or soil.. ~ Cover the top of the tray with a piece ofblack plastic (cut a piece of a black garbage bag to fit the top of the tray). Tape the plastic around the sides. This represents an impervious surface such as asphalt on a graded parking lot. ~ Cut a very small hole in the plastic that is just large enough for the probe of a thermometer. The thermometer's probe should read the temperature of the surface (not the inside of the tray or the air outside of the plastic).
2) Prepare tray B ~ Begin with a layer of sand on the bottom, filling about a third of the tray. ~ Fill next third of the tray with a layer of rock. ~ Fill the top third with a layer of soil and mulch. ~ You may place a layer of sod or grass on the top of the soil if available, but this is not necessary for the demonstration. ~ Place a second thermometer in tray B so that the probe is just under the surface layer of soil. The thermometer should read the temperature of the surface.
3) Incubate the trays ~ Place the two trays in a window receiving direct sunlight, outside in a sunny area, or under a heat lamp. ~ Leave the trays to heat for about an hour.
4) Compare the trays ~ Mter an hour of incubation, have the students read and record the temperatures of tray A and tray B. ~ The surface of tray A should have a substantially
higher temperature than tray B. Ask the students
why this might occur. Ask the students what impact the increased temperature will have on the stream.

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5) Demonstration of runoff ~ Ask the students what they think will happen when it rains on the two surfaces. ~ Tilt the trays slighdy to give them a gradient for runoff. ~ Using a spray botde full ofwater, simulate rain falling on tray A. Note that the rain rapidly runs off the impervious surface into the nearest stream, carrying with it any pollutants in its path. ~ Simulate rain falling on tray B. Note that the rain soaks into the soil and does not run off, even though the tray is tilted.

Green is the color that represents pervious surfaces, while each player needs a different color crayon for each player's impervious surface development. The multiple colors will identifY which player developed which impervious surface (this identification is important for final calculations).
3) One player on each team will be the dealer and passes out six cards to each player, including him/herself Lay cards face up in front of each player. The remaining deck of cards is put face-down. Turn over the first card and place it face up next to the pile.

Warm-Up Demonstration
The Activity
1) Tell your students that they are planning the development of a section in the City ofAdanta and that they will have to make choices about development. They will receive money for development and they must decide whether to develop both large and small projects, and they must decide where to develop. They have to think about the needs of the people, wildlife, and the environment. What kind of developer will they be? They need to remember the demonstration and what they have learned about impervious surfaces. Make sure that your students understand what an impervious surface is and how it affects water quality.

4) The object of this activity is to get a matching pair of cards. Starting from the dealers' left, each player takes a turn and either draws a card from the deck or the discard pile. If a player gets a matching pair of cards, the player can develop the pair; can save it for later; or can discard the pair and pick up two more cards to make a total of six cards in that player's hand. If a pair is made, then no discard is required for that turn. If a player chooses to develop the project on the matching pair, then he/she colors in on the board the number of acres indicated on the card. Ifit is an impervious surface, they use their identifYing color crayon to color in the acres on the board. If it is a green space surface, they color the acres with a green crayon. Ideas can be shared to strategically develop green space and impervious surfaces, but each player is ultimately responsible for their own individual development. The paired cards are not used again in this round of play. After the deck is finished, the cards can be shuffled and reused. The players continue to pick up, discard, and fill in their developed acres on the board until the board is completely filled in. There are many different possible drawing and discarding scenarios that are organized in Figure 1:

2) Divide students into City Planning Teams with 4-6 students per team. Give each team a property board that represents the City ofAdanta. Give each student a scorecard, a green crayon, and a different color crayon to mark their developed areas on the property board.

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Figure 1
Scenario 1 Drawl Do not have a pair
Discard 1

Scenario2 Drawl Get a pair, so fill in acre boxes on the board that match the number of acres on the card on the board Check off on score sheet
Draw2

Scenario3 Drawl Get a pair, so fill in acre boxes on the board that match the number of acres on the card on the board Check off on score sheet
Draw2 Get another pair, so fill in acre boxes on the board that match the number of acres on the card Check off on score sheet Draw2
Repeat process until player no longer has a pair

Scenario4 Drawl Get a pair, and decide not to develop
Discard pair into discard pile Draw2

The Property-Board
~ Use a photo copier to increase the property board by 115% of original size
~ You may fill in the acre blocks vertically, horizontally, or diagonally; as long as the spaces are touching. Outline with a black marker each player's developments.
Playing Cards
Instructions: ~ Copy the impervious surface cards two times (so you have 3 cards each) ~ Copy the green space cards three times (so you have four cards each) ~ Copy the rooftop bonus and porous pavement cards five times (so you have six cards each) ~ Have students color all the cards (optional) ~ Laminate each card (optional) ~ Keep for future use!

Scoresheet
~ Each time a player "develops" or fills in acres on the board, that player must check it off on the scoresheet next to the corresponding image.
~ Rooftop Garden and Porous Pavement are bonus cards and can replace half of any impervious surface developed on the board with green space surface. The player that originally developed the impervious surface on the board must go back to his/her scoresheet and reduce the impervious acres by half of the original amount. The player that applied the bonus must go to his/her scoresheet and write in the space provided located in the bonus section, the number of acres that replaced the impervious surface with green acres. A player must still get a pair of the bonus cards to apply the bonus to an impervious surface.
WrapUp A The game is over when the board is completely filled
up with development. Each player needs to complete the final calculations section of the score sheet for both the individual and the group. Each player will determine

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the type of developer they are based on impervious and green space calculations. Have students guess based on their scores if they are a conventional, new urbanist, or conservation developer.
B. Students will complete the final calculations section of the scoresheet to find out what percentage ofboth group and individual development is impervious and green space.
. C. Once the players know what kind of developer the group and the player (individual) is, ask if they agree or disagree with the environmental implications. Ask the students which team they would hire to be city planners for the City ofAdanta? Which individual developer would lead the project?
Types ofDeveloper:
~ Conventional: ()0;0- 15% of city is green space ~ New urbanist: 16%-67% of city is green space ~ Conservation: 68%- 71% of city is green space ~ Too Much Green space: 72%-100% of city is
green space
A Conventional developer is the traditional city planner, who does not necessarily plan for a balance between impervious and green space development. This developer needs to pay attention to the discussion concerning the importance of this balance, and find ways that he or she can plan for more green space during future planning.
A New Urbanist developer has a better grasp on balancing impervious and green space development. He or she recognizes the impacts certain surfaces can have on nearby water bodies. If this developer continues to lead planning in the city, there might well be an improvement in the health of our streams and rivers.
A Conservation developer has a very progressive take on development. Green space development is over half of all development in the city. Not many cities are like this, but more are on the rise. This developer has a great sense of the importance ofgreen space, and the city residents are privileged to live in such a green, healthy, and beautiful city.

If the developer has developed over 71% green space, then there is too much green space and not enough impervious surface for an urban area. Realistically, there should not be that much green space in any city, so try to develop more of a balance in future city planning.
Effects ofimpervious surfaces
~ All development requirements that increase the dimensions of streets, driveways, and parking lots cause an increase in impervious pavement which generates runoff. Curbs make structural channels that accelerate it.
~ Almost any contemporary land use produces impervious coverage over 10 percent. Even residences dispersed on 2-acre lots produce impervious cover of 12 percent.
~ Industrial and office uses and shopping centers can produce nearly 100 percent impervious coverage.
~ Of all the impervious areas, the pavements of the roads and parking lots, where cars are, make up the major portion.
~ Impervious surfaces seal over the soil pores, depriving the root zone ofwater and air. They deflect rainwater into surface channels, where it concentrates into downstream floods.
~ Storm water runoff carries with it oils from cars, parking lots, lawn yards, storage areas, metals from construction materials, herbicides, pesticides, and nutrients from over-maintained landscapes.
~ Streets and parking lots are the impervious surfaces with the greatest area and highest pollutant loads in most land use categories. Automobiles drop hydrocarbons from oil and metals from the wearing of brake pads and tires; all are washed off of pavements and into streams by runoff.
~ In the days or weeks between rainstorms, oils and sediments accumulate on pavement. When the first rain falls on the pavement, it flushes the accumulated pollutants into streams.
~ As the rain continues, growing volumes of runoff erode stream banks, destroying habitats and producing further sediment pollution.
~ Stream and wedand health decline with overall impervious coverage. Significant impacts begin at 10 percent coverage. At impervious coverage over 30

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percent, impacts on streams and wedands become severe and degradation is almost unavoidable (Arnold and Gibbons, 1996).

Impervious coverage Stream health

<10%

"Protected"

10 to< 30% "Impacted" if not mitigated

>30% ."Degraded" if not mitigated

The Importance of Striking a Balance: impervious and green space development Impervious surfaces do not allow water to soak into the ground. As a result pollutants enter the nearby streams, lakes, and rivers. These pollutants come from the air, cars, and people; they all run straight into natural water sources during rain and/or storms. As impervious surfaces increase, so does stormwater runoff volume, pollutant levels in runoff, and the velocity of stormwater flows (Schueler 1994).
Research has shown that watershed health begins to decline when impervious surfaces coverage exceeds 10 percent and become severely impaired if this number climbs beyond 30 percent of the total watershed area (Arnold and Gibbons 1996). The urban heat island effect is another consequence of impervious development. Impervious surfaces absorb heat during the day and release it at night when the outside temperature falls. This causes the average temperature to be higher in areas where there are many impervious surfaces. This means higher energy bills as well. Replacing impervious surfaces with green space reduces this urban heat island effect and increases energy savings (Heat Island Group.1999).
City planners and developers can prevent this degradation ofwater sources by choosing to plan for and build green space areas in the city to strike a balance between the two types of development. They can educate people about nonpoint source pollution and its serious consequences that affect everyone. All the chemicals that are spewed from a city by people and machines end up in the water. Impervious surfaces near a water source are even more dangerous. Many

pollution prevention controls, such as vegetation buffers beside streams and rivers, should be in place to assure the city that chemicals are not entering direcdy into the water. It is better to have green space near a water source because it helps filter out chemicals before the runoff enters the water body. Other examples of natural filtration methods include vegetated buffers along streams, grassed areas along roadways, wedands, and rain gardens. Plants have a natural capacity to slow and filter runoff, thereby reducing pollutant loads.
Rooftop gardens and porous pavement are other innovative alternatives to impervious surfaces. Rooftop gardens prevent runoff from the rooftops of buildings and slow water as it is continuing along the path toward the nearest water source. The vegetation and soil layers in a rooftop garden soak in the water, while filtering out the chemicals. The result is a much cleaner water runoff from the building, if any runoff at all. Porous pavement helps to reduce not only environmental degradation, but safety and health concerns as well. Porous pavement has been engineered to allow water to fall on the pavement, and then reenter the environment in a very different way than traditional pavement. Stormwater and chemicals released from cars are absorbed into the pavement, thereby reducing the amount of chemicals flowing from roads and neighborhood storm drains to the nearest water body. Both the rooftop garden and porous pavement innovations reduce the impact of imperviousness in the urban watershed signifi.candy.
Effects ofdevelopment on peak discharges and runoff volumes A storm hydrograph is a tool used to show how storm water discharge changes with time. The portion of the hydrograph that lies to the left of the peak is called the rising limb, which shows how long it takes the stream to peak following a rain event. The portion of the curve to the right of the peak is called the recession limb. Storm runoff moves more rapidly over smooth, hard pavement than over natural vegetation (figure 1). As a result, the rising limbs hydrographs become steeper and higher in urbanized areas. Recession limbs also decline more steeply in urban streams.

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t

'......, Higher and More Rapid Peak Discharge

I

/ Higher Runoff Volume

----Pre-Development

I

\

- Post Development

I

\

en

I

LL
(.)

I

3:

I

.-.0..

E

.C....l..)
en

- - .J

\

Lower Baseflow

\
\ \

----

Time

II

Figure 1: Effects of development on stream flow ("Getting to Know Your Watershed". Summer 2002. Georgia Adopt-A-Stream.
Department of Natural Resources. Environmental Protection Division)
Works Cited
Harrison, Jim. 2002. "Rapid Development Putting Atlanta's Watersheds at Risk". Atlanta journal Constitution. Charles Seabrook . 2002.
Heat Island Group. 1999. Environmental Energy Technologies Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California. "Learning About Heat Islands."
Schueler, Thomas R. 1994. "The Importance oflmperviousness." Watershed Protection Techniques. Volume 1, Number 3. Pages 100-111.
Georgia Urban Development Trends *From Land Development Provisions To Protect Georgia Water Qyality *From Land Development Provisions To Protect Georgia Water Quality.

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Greening the Asphalt Rubric for Assessment
Assessment 2: Ask the students to write a paragraph on how they planned their city. Did they put in impervious surfaces? Did they include green space? How do impervious surfaces and green space development affect water quality?

Category

4

3

2

1

Organization

Information is very organized in a wellconstructed paragraph. There is a clear introduction, explanation, and conclusion, and all ideas presented are logical.

Information is organized in a well-constructed paragraph. The student included an introduction, explanation, and conclusion.

Information is organized, but the paragraph is not well-constructed. The student presents related ideas but does not properly construct an introduction, explanation, and conclusion.

The information appears to be disorganized. The ideas presented are unrelated and there is no paragraph structure.

Comprehension

Student included more than 4 ways that impervious surfaces and green space development affect water quality.

Student included 3-4 ways that impervious surfaces and green space development affect water quality.

Student included 2 ways that impervious surfaces and green space development affect water quality.

Student included 1 or no ways that impervious surfaces and green space development affect water quality.

Comprehension

Student exceeded expectations in his or her understanding of the concepts of impervious surfaces and green space.

Student understands the concepts of impervious surfaces and green space for the most part.

Student somewhat understands the concepts of impervious surfaces and green space.

Student does not understand the concepts of impervious surfaces and green space.

Analysis

Student exceeded expectations in his or her understanding of the impact of development choices for the citjr and the impact on water quality.

Student understands the impact of their development choices for the city and the impact on water quality for the most part.

Student somewhat understands the impact of their development choices for the city and the impact on water quality.

Student does not understand the impact of their development choices for the city and the impact on water quality.

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Greening the Asphalt Rubric for Assessment
Assessment 3: Have students take a walk on their school campus and make a design of the school, parking areas, nature trail, gardens, and walkways using graph paper. Mter they have created the school campus design, ask
them to color the areas that are impervious surfaces gray and the areas that are green space green or another color. Calculate the percentage ofimpervious and green space surfaces on the school campus.

Category Neatness
Comprehension Comprehension
Accuracy

4

3

2

1

The design was completed extremely nearly and carefully and all significant areas were included in the design.

The design was completed nearly and most significant areas were included in the design.

The design was messy OR significant areas were not included in the design.

The design was very messy AND significant areas were not included in the design.

Student correcrly identified all impervious surfaces and green spaces.

Student correcrly identified most impervious surfaces and green spaces.

Student correcrly identified some impervious surfaces and green spaces.

Student did not correcrly identify any impervious surfaces or green spaces.

Student completely understands the concepts of impervious surfaces and green space.

Student understands the concepts ofimpervious surfaces and green space for the most part.

Student somewhat understands the concepts of impervious surfaces and green space.

Student does not understand the concepts ofimpervious surfaces and green space.

Student calculated percentages correcrly.

Student's calculations were close to the actual percentages.

Student's calculations were not close to the actual percentages.

Student did not calculate percentages OR the calculations based on the drawing were extremely different from actual percentages.

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Greening the Asphalt Score Sheet
_ ~rune _____________________
Date____________

*Put a checkmark in the space provided EACH TIME you develop the corresponding surface.

IMPERVIOUS SURFACES
~ Amphitheater__ 6 boxes= 1.5 acres
1111 Apartmeno__ 11 boxes= 2.75 acres
l:t 1\1 BosketbaD Court__ 1 box= 0.25 acre

Cement Playground__ 1 box =0.25 acre
-Citys;dewalk__ 2 boxes= 0.5 acre
1,1Courtbou~-- 5boxes= 1.25acres
~ Gos Station_ _ 1 box= 0.25 acre ~ Grocecy Store__ 2 boxes= 0.5 acre

-

lnremau__ 18 boxes= 4.5 acres

Large Industry__ 9 boxes =2.25 acres
lmrt~ Shop___ 2 boxes= 0.5 acre ~ M<Me Theater__ 3 boxes= 0.75 acre

.____..:..:;.;_ ...... Amusement Park__ 8 boxes= 2 acres
i l l Athletic Held__ 10 boxes= 2.5 acres
It=llBMge__ 10 boxes= 2.5 acres
Jal CityComplex__ 12 boxes= 3 acres
lml Condo.__ 10 boxes= 2.5 acres

Deli__ 2 boxes =0.5 acre

Government Building___ 3 boxes= 0.75 acre

Highway__ 16 boxes= 4 acres
!AI Luge Ho.,.__ 8 boxes= 2 acres
~~~ Ubmry_ 2boxes=0.5acre
litediumHouse__ 4 boxes= 1acre

-

New Car Dealenhip__ 3 boxes= 0.75 acre

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~ Offioe Buililing__ 6 boxe = l.S..,..,
~ Parlriog Ganoge__ 4 boxes= 1 acre ~ Phannacy__ 2 boxes= 0.5 acre I~Ill)IPolioe Station__ 4 boxes = 1 acre
[ i i ] Rood__ 8 boxes= 2 acres
~ ~ Shopping Mall__ 10 boxes= 2.5 acres
Iii] SmaUAUport__ 8 bQxes =2 acres
Iwa ISmall Houso_ 1 box= 0.25 acre

Office Complex__ 10 boxes= 2.5 acres
~ ~ Parking Lot__ 3 boxes= 0.75 acre
!!:!:!====~:!..! Place ofWorship_ _ 8 boxes = 2 acres
Iiiii ReWI Store__ 2 boxes= 0.5 acre
~ School__ 5 boxes= 1.25 acres ~ s~<ysaa..,.__ 7boxes=1.75acres
!til Small Building_ 2boxe = O.S oae
Small Industry__ 6 boxes = 1.5 acres

-
E

Sports Arena__ 8 boxes= 2 acres Swbnmffig Pool__ 1 box= 0.25 acre



Uruve.sity__ 8 boxes= 2 acres

1111 Wate<Treatment__ 13 boxes= 3.25 acres



SubmbanHou.e__ 6 boxes= 1.5 acres

.___;;;..._---1 Train Station_ _ 5 boxes = 1.25 acres
~ Uoed Car Deolenlllp__ 3 boxes= 0.75 acre

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GREEN SPACE SURFACES

-

Botani<al Garden__ 5 boxes= 1.25 acres

[!~!] Co.......tion Srte__ 4 boxes= 1 acre

1!1 Green House__ 4 boxes= 1 acre

L....::==--' Forest Park_ _ 6 boxes= 1.5 acres
l l i l Green Playground_ _ l .box =0.25 acre
1161 Landscape Garden__ 2 boxes= 0.5 acre

"'--"==--' Neighborhood Park_ _ 2 boxes= 0.5 acre

B

Pre...-ved Land_ _ 4 boxes= 1 acre

River Walk__ 4 boxes= 1 acre
[%] Ud>an Parl<__ 5 boxes= 1.25 acres

1!::::==:=::::!1 Preserved Forest_ _ 8 boxes = 2 acres
[Jf] Recreation Parl<__ 3 boxes= 0.75 acre
1m! T...W Park__ 4 boxes= 1 acre

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Rooftop Garden Bonus

Deduct half the acres from any developed impervious surface on the board and enter number of new green acres below.

Green acres =

acres

Green acres =

acres

Green acres =

acres

Porous Pavement Bonus

Deduct half the acres from any developed impervious surface on the board and enter number of new green acres below.

Green acres =

acres

Green acres = acres

Green acres =

acres

~ Rooftop Garden and Porous Pavement are bonus cards and can replace half of any impervious surface developed on the board with green space surface. The player that originally developed the impervious surface on the board must go back to his/her scoresheet and reduce the impervious acres by half of the original amount. The player that applied the bonus must go to his/her scoresheet and write in the space provided located in the bonus section, the number of acres that replaced the impervious surface with green acres. A player must still get a pair of the bonus cards to apply the bonus to an impervious surface.

Example:

~ 2~s Playerl
Amusement Park K

8boxes =

I acre

Player 2 (with bonus pair)
Porous Pavement Bonus! Green acres = 1 acre

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Final Calculations
Total Acres on the Board = 33.5 acres Impervious Surface Total= IST Green space Total= GT Green space+ Impervious Surface Total= GIT

Individual

Group

IST=

IST=

GT=

IST_/33.5= _ _%Impervious surface

IST_ + GT_ = GIT

GT=

IST__/GIT__=__ I 100 = __ %Impervious

GT_/33.5= _ _%Green space

GT__/GIT__= __/100 = __ % Green space

Type of Individual Developer according to % Green space _ _ _ __

Type of Group Developer according to % Green space _ _ _ __

Individual Calculation Directions: 1. Use a calculator to add up all Impervious Surfa~e acres from your individual scoresheet, and that will equal IST. 2. Use a calculator to add up all Green space Surface acres from your individual scoresheet, and that will equal GT. 3. Add together IST and GT to get total of impervious and green space total combined, and this will equal GIT.
4. Complete calculations for the individual by filling in calculations in the blank next to corresponding total. 5. Your teacher will tell you what type of developer you are as an individual based on percentage ofgreen space development.

Group Calculation Directions: 1. Use a calculator to add up all Impervious Surface acres from each person in the group and that will equal the group IST. 2. Use a calculator to add up all Green space Surface acres from each person in the group scoresheet and that will equal the group GT. 3. Complete calculations for the group by filling in calculations in the blank next to corresponding total. 4. Your teacher will tell you wh~t type of developer your group is based on percentage of green space development.

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Property Board with 33.5 Acre Sites

, . 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

River

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres River 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres 0.25 acres

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Greening the Asphalt Playing Cards

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4.5 acres

Place of Worship
2 acres

1.5 acres

0.25 acre

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2.5 acres

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1.25 acres

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1.25 acres

1.25 acres

Large Airport
3 acres

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Green Playground
0.25 acre
Government Building
0.75 acre

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0.75 acre

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0.5 acre

Used Car Dealership
0. 75 ac1e

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1.5 acres

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0.25 acre

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Neighborhood Park
0.5 acre

1.25 acres

1.25 acres

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Porous Pavement BONUS
Replace half of any imocrvious surface

Green Roof BONUS
Replace half of any imoervious surface

Green Roof BONUS
Replace half of any
imoervious surface

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Wet-Work Shuffle

Grade Level: Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School
Subject Areas: Government, Environmental Science, Health
Duration: Preparation time: 30 minutes Activity time: 50 minutes
Setting: Classroom
Skills: Gathering information (interviewing); Organizing (sequencing); Analyzing
Vocabulary Water resource careers

Hydrologist, municipalplanner, microbiologist: What do these titles mean to you?
_Summary
Students learn about different water resource occupations and place them in a sequence-from water's source, to its delivery into homes, and its return to the source.
Objectives
Students will: ~ Sequence water-related occupations involved in transporting water to and from the home. ~ Describe various water resource careers.
Materials
~ A set ofWater Career Cards for each group of students (Cards may be pasted to index cards for durability.)
~ Marking pens and drawing material ~ Butcher paper In addition we have provided a set ofAdanta Urban Watershed Career Cards of actual people in actual careers. These cards can be copied and laminated and made into name tags with string or yarn. ~ Enlarged Urban Watershed Career Category Descriptions without the number ~ Enlarged cards for River, Water Treatment, Homes, Schools, Businesses,
Wastewater Treatment and River to be copied and cut out and given to 5 students to represent these areas in the watershed
Making Connections
Most students know that clean, safe water enters their homes with the tum of a faucet, and that a flush of the toilet expels household wastes. But they may not realize the number of people who make these services possible. Introducing students to the professions providing clean water supplies helps them appreciate their water source and makes them aware of a variety of careers related to water.
Background
Have you heard the phrase "Too many cooks spoil the broth"? This is not the case in the world ofwater management. By the time water has been pumped from an aquifer or diverted from a meandering river, used, and then returned to the system, it has been analyzed, gauged, protected, stored, managed, measured, and treated by a multitude of people.

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First, the water supply might be predicted or measured by climatologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists, and limnologists. When plans for its withdrawal for various uses are made, other professionals become involved: watershed planners consider regional water resource issues; engineers develop plans for the storage and transportation ofwater; water pollution technologists study the suitability ofwater for drinking; and municipal planners help determine a community's present and future needs.
At every level of government and in countless businesses, people manage water. Interest groups and those involved in the integrity of the water help ensure that fisheries and wetland habitats remain intact. Computer technicians store vital data every step of the way. Sanitarians, wastewater engineers, and wastewater treatment plant operators work to guarantee water's suitability for use and its acceptable quality when returned to the natural system.

Procedure
WarmUp
Present students with the following situation. One morning they wake up, they turn on the faucet to get a drink ofwater, and nothing comes out. To whom would they or their parents go to find out what happened to the water supply? What if the whole community had the same problem? Ask students to list the different professions of the people involved in getting water to and from homes.
Inform them that a fictional town called "Heretothere" has identified a list of people it needs to hire to get water to and from its houses. The cards containing these job titles were arranged in correct order, but someone has dropped them! Now they need to be put back in order. Tell students their challenge will be to put the cards m proper sequence.

WAfER SOURCE

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TREATMENT PLANT ADAPTED FROM " A WATER SYSTEM " (POSTER ), BY PERMISSION . 1988, AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION .
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The Activity 1. Divide the class into small groups and give each group a set ofshuffled Water Career Cards. Ask each group to arrange the cards in what they think is the best order. Students should read the career descriptions to help them determine the correct order. If they need more help, provide them with the category headings that describe the various stages ofwater transport.
2. Ask each group to explain the water career pathways and relationships they have devised. Have groups compare their arrangements, discussing whether or not the town of Heretothere will get its water.

2) What kind of education or training did you need? 3) What skills cio you need? 4) What do you like the most/ least about your job? 5) Is the pay scale satisfactory? And 6) Describe a typical day on the job. Based on the interview, have students pretend they are going to apply for the job and write a resume that fits the job criteria.
Assessment
Have students: ~ Sequence the water-related professions involved in transporting water to and from the home (steps 1, 2, 3, and Wrap Up). ~ Create resume ofwater professional (Wrap Up) .

3. Present students with the order given on the original Water Career Cards sheet. Ask students to evaluate their own sequencing and make adjustments. The placement of the profession in the correct category heading is more important than the order of careers within the category. Make sure students understand that these tasks are not necessarily sequential. Activities of some workers occur simultaneously or may overlap.
4. Remind students ofthe variety ofcareers related to water other than water supply. These include fisheries specialist, meteorologist, marine biologist, navigator, educator, etc. Some students may be interested in adding cards to the Water Career Cards deck to see how all these professions are related. (For example, a water treatment plant manager needs a chemist to test water quality, or a watershed manager may confer with a wetlands specialist to help regulate surface runoff.)

Extensions
Invite water-related professionals to explain their roles in water management and discuss the nature and significance of their jobs.
K-20ption
Ask students to think of a water-related career that sounds interesting to them or provide them with a list (plumber, tugboat operator, fisheries specialist, wetlands educator, etc.) from which to select their favorite. Distribute newsprint and crayons or markers to students and show them how to fold the paper into a hat.

WrapUp Ask students to draw a diagram or create a wall-sized mural ofwater on its pathways. Include drawings of people of different professions working in appropriate settings and with appropriate equipment (i.e., a chemist located near the water treatment plant).

Instruct students to select one or more water-related careers they would like to know more about. They should contact a water professional and ask to interview him or her about a typical day at work. Some questions to ask are: 1) How did you get interested in this work?

Water career hats.

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Tell students to decorate their hats with pictures of people doing their jobs or of the environments these professionals study as part of their work. When all students have completed their hats, have them take turns role-playing in front of the class. Have them explain the pictures or materials on their hats. For example, a student whose chosen water career is a wetland research scientist may say, "I am a wetland researcher. I study the plants and animals that live in wedands. Here is a picture of some of mywedand friends (frogs, foxes, and ducks). In this picture I am counting the number of frogs I see." Mter all the students have had a chance to role-play, allow them to walk around for a few minutes to look at each other's hats.

Video: Careers in Water Quality. 16 min.; lh" VHS. Order from: New Dimension Media, 85803 Lorane Highway, Eugene, OR 97405. (800) 288-4456. To order student and teacher guides or for more information, call: Water Pollution Control Federation, (800) 666-0206.
For further information about careers related to water supply and the education/training involved, contact: American Water Works Association, 6666 West Quincy Ave., Denver, CO 80235. (303) 347-6206.

Resources
Asimov, Isaac, and Elizabeth Kaplan. 1993. What Happens When I Flush the Toilet? Milwaukee, Wis.: Bareth Stevens.

Bolles, Richard Nelson. 1993. What Color Is Your Parachute?: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career Changers. Berkeley, Calif: Ten Speed Press.

Cole, Joanna. 1986. The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks. New York, N.Y.: Scholastic, Inc.

Test the Waters! Careers in Water Qyality. 1991. Brochure. Contact: Water Pollution Control Federation, 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. (703) 684-2400.

14"

( (24" FOLD ~-------
TAPE

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Water Career Cards
NOTE: This is a limited list of careers involved in transporting water from a source to homes and back to the source. Many more people are actually involved in this process. The arrangement of the careers is based on seven main categories. The sequence of careers within each category may vary somewhat, because the responsibilities of some careers coincide or overlap.

CATEGORY!: Careers involved in removing water form the source (river, lake, or groundwater supply) and transferring it to a water treatment plant.
HYDROLOGIST A scientist who measures the properties and move-
ment ofwater, often assessing its availability.
HYDRAULIC ENGINEER An engineer with knowledge of the mechanical properties ofwater who would be involved in
designing or maintaining a dam or water retraction devices.
MICROBIOLOGIST A scientist who determines the quality of the water and the health of the water source by studying mi-
croorgarusms.
FISHERIES BIOLOGIST A scientist who studies the population and behavior
of fish species in relation to available habitats and quality of the water resource.

CATEGORY II: Careers involved in removing impurities from water at a water treatment plant.
CHEMIST A scientist who tests the water to ensure its suitabil-
ity for public consumption.
TREATMENT PLANT TECHNICIAN A person who operates and maintains the water
treatment plant.
CATEGORY III: Career responsible for transporting the treated water to a storage tank.
WATER WORKS ENGINEER A person who designs systems for transport of water, often in municipal settings; can also be the person who controls the discharge of water from
places of storage.

HYDROGEOLOGIST A scientist who studies the properties and move-
ment of groundwater and aquifers.

WATER MASTER A person who monitors withdrawal of water by water users in watersheds where supplies may be
limited.

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CATEGORY IV: Careers involved in planning, constructing, and maintaining distribution systems that carry water underground to homes.

CATEGORYVI: Careers responsible for transporting wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant and monitoring sanitary conditions.

WATER POLICY PLANNER A person who studies water related problems and issues and prepares plans for consideration by agency
decision makers and the public.
MUNICIPAL PLANNER A person who works with engineers and local officials to determine the municipal needs, including the optimal water supply system for a city. This per-
son is knowledgeable about the relevant laws.
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS Groups that have special interests in the protection or use of water. They are involved as lobbyists when laws are made and have a voice at public meetings
involving water.
CATEGORYV: Careers involved in monitoring quantities ofwater used in homes and maintaining service lines to homes.
METER READER A person who reads the water meter at your house
to determine how much water is used monthly.
PLUMBER A person who designs a system and fits pipes for the transportation of water (both sewage and
drinking) in facilities and buildings.

WATER LINE TECHNICIAN A person who plans and installs main lines and ser-
vice lines throughout the town.
SANITARIAN A person who enforces public health, especially in
relation to garbage and sewage disposal.
CATEGORYVII: Careers involved in operating wastewater treatment plants and ensuring water quality prior to its return to the source.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR
A person who controls and maintains equipment at a sewage treatment plant.
CHEMIST A scientist who tests the water after it has been treated, to ensure its suitability for reintroduction
into a stream.
MICROBIOLOGIST A scientist who determines the quality of the water and the health of the water eftluent or discharge by
studying microorganisms.

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Wet-Work Shuflle
Activity Adaptation using the Atlanta Urban Watershed Career Cards
Procedure
WarmUp
Follow the Warm Up as written
The Activity. 1. Cut out each Atlanta Urban Watershed Career Card, laminate, and make name tags for students to wear.
2. Hand out an Atlanta Urban Watershed Career Card to each student.
3. Use the larger Urban Watershed Career Category Descriptions that follow the Atlanta Urban Watershed Career Cards and cut out and place the descriptions on cones or chairs around the watershed in their appropriate location. For example, the Career Category I has careers that remove water from the source and transfer it to a treatment plant. This description would be placed next to the person who has the river sign and is between the river and the treatment plant.

7. Then have the students read the different category descriptions on the chairs in the room or on the cones in the field outside from the River and back to the River again and decide which category best fits their career.
8. Give students time to look around the urban watershed and talk with other students about what category best fits their career. They can work together to make category decisions.
9. Mter students have made their category selection they need to group around the chair/cone they have selected and meet others who have made the same category choice. Each student shares their career with the other students and asks the group to help decide if they are in the right category place.
10. If everyone has made final decisions give students the actual category placement for their career and instruct students to go to their category placement Students share their careers with others at the category.
Share the correct categories with students so they can join the group with others doing similar kinds of careers.

4. Place chairs around the room or cones in the field and tape the Urban Watershed Career Category Descriptions on the chairs or cones. Place the chair/cone category descriptions in an ordered way from the water source and back to the source.

5. Select five students to represent the Water Source (River), the Water Treatment Plant, Homes, Schools, Businesses, Wastewater Treatment Plant, and the River. Chairs/cones with career descriptions can be appropriately placed around the students representing places in the Urban Watershed.

6. To begin the activity have students read their career descriptions and look at the picture and determine what the person is doing on the job

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Atlanta Career Cards
Category I - Careers involved in removing water from the source and transferring it to the water treatment plant. (drinking water)
~ Water System Control Operator
Category II - Careers involved in operating drinking water treatment plants and ensuring water quality prior to delivery to homes, schools, and businesses.
~ Operations Manager, Water Treatment Plant Technician, Water System Control Operator

Category VIII- Careers that provide service and support for the wastewater treatment plant operations.
~ Wastewater Process Control Technician, Wastewater Treatment Administrator, Wastewater Treatment Plant Mechanic, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator, Equipment Operator, Custodian, Landscapers, Truck Drivers
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Category III - Careers that provide service and support for the drinking water treatment plant operations.
~ Water Treatment Administrator

Category IV - Careers involved in planning, constructing, and maintaining distribution systems that carry water underground to homes.
~ Water Line Technician

Category V- Careers involved in monitoring quantities ofwater used in homes and maintaining service lines to homes.
~ Plumber

Category VI - Careers responsible for transporting wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant and monitoring sanitary conditions.
~ Closed Circuit TV Operator, Closed Circuit Camera Operator

Category VII - Careers involved in operating wastewater treatment plants and ensuring water quality prior to its return to the source.
~ Wastewater Treatment Plant Chemist, Wastewater Treatment Plant Microbiologist, Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager, Wastewater Treatment Operations Manager, Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent

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Adanta Water Careers
There are many different kinds of careers involved in water and wastewater treatment. There are even careers that make sure all the pipes are working that deliver water to your home, school, or business. Here are the REAL people in real careers who take care ofyour drinking water and wastewater treatment in the Adanta urban watershed. Each of these people were glad to know you were learning about your urban watershed, so you can take an important part in protecting your water resources.
CATEGORY I: Career involved in removing water from the source (river, lake or groundwater supply), and transferring it to a water treatment plant.

0

0

WATER SYSTEM CONTROL OPERATOR A person who monitors withdrawal of water by water users and controls the flow through the system.

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CATEGORY II: Careers involved in operating drinking water treatment plants and ensuring water quality prior to delivery to homes, schools, and businesses.

0

0

OPERATIONS MANAGER A person who insures delivery of clean, safe, potable drinking water.

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0

0

WATERTREATMENT PLANT TECHNICIAN A person who samples the water to ensure water quality standards for
drinking water.

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0

0

WATER SYSTEM CONTROL OPERATOR A person who monitors gates, pumps, and overall process of treating the drinking water.

CATEGORY III: Careers that provide service and support for the drinking water treatment plant operations.

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WATERTREATMENT ADMINISTRATOR A person who handles documentation for the water treatment plant supervisor, along with managing
phone calls and scheduling.

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CATEGORY IV: Careers involved in planning, constructing, and maintaining distribution systems that carry water underground to homes.

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WATER UNETECHNICIAN A person who handles water quality by collecting samples from the main and service lines throughout
the service area.

CATEGORYV: Careers involved in monitoring quantities ofwater used in homes and maintaining service lines to homes.

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0

PLUMBER A person that repairs plumbing and broken pipes in homes, schools, and businesses.

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CATEGORYVI: Careers responsible for transporting wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant and monitoring sanitary conditions.

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CLOSED CIRCUITTV OPERATOR A person responsible for wastewater service line maintenance and TV/computer operation.

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CLOSED CIRCUIT CAMERA OPERATOR A person responsible for wastewater service line maintenance and
camera operation.

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CATEGORYVII: Careers involved in operating wastewater treatment plants and ensuring water quality prior to its return to the source.

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WASTEWATERTREATMENT PLANT CHEMIST A person who tests the wastewater and the sludge throughout the process to tell the operators how to
adjust the water to have optimum treatment.

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WASTEWATERTREATMENTPLANTCHEMIST A scientist who tests the water after it has been treated, to ensure its suitability for reintroduction
into a stream.

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WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT MICROBIOLOGIST A scientist who determines the quality of the water and the health of
the water effluent or discharge by studying microorganisms.

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WASTEWATERTREATMENT PLANT MANAGER A person who is responsible for every aspect of the plant: operations, personnel, and maintenance.

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WASTEWATERTREATMENT PLANT MANAGER A person who is responsible for every aspect of the plant: operations, personnel, and maintenance.

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WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR A person who is responsible for monitoring systems within the wastewater process. Here he is sampling
in the aeration basin.

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WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR A person who makes adjustments to equipment as the wastewater flow changes, as well as monitoring
operations of the wastewater treatment plant.

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WASTEWATER TREATMENT OPERATIONS MANAGER A person who oversees general operations of the wastewater treatment plant.

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WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT SUPERINTENDENT A person who controls the wastewater treatment process, which is called "intelligent automation".
The computer monitors the gates, pumps, and overall process of treating the wastewater.

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CATEGORYVIII: Careers that provide service and support for the wastewater treatment plant operations.

0

0

VVASTEVVATERPROCESSCONTROLTEC~C~
A person responsible for maintaining electronics and the process that monitors electronics, which ties into a computer/control screen.

0

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VVASTEVVATER TREATMENT ADMINISTRATOR
A person who handles documentation for the wastewater treatment plant superintendent, along with managing phone calls and scheduling.

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WASTEWATER TREATMENT PlANT MECHANIC
A person who keeps the pumps running in a wastewater treatment plan.

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WASTEWATERTREATMENTPIANTOPERATOR
A person who is responsible for monitoring the gate settings in a wastewater treatment plan.

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EQUIPMENT OPERATOR A person who is responsible for managing equipment in treatment operations; in this scene
he is connecting the bar screen dumpster to a truck to haul to the landfill.

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CUSTODIAN A person that keeps the wastewater treatment plant clean.

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LANDSCAPERS A person who maintains the wastewater treatment plant grounds.

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TRUCK DRIVERS People who haul the wastewater treatment sludge to the landfill.

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1 ver 1 ver
Wastewater Treatment

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Water Treatment
Homes, Schools, Businesses

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Place category cards on cones or chairs in River to River man-made or constructed water cycle.
CATEGORY I: Careers involved in removing water from the source (river, lake or groundwater supply), and transferring it to a water treatment plant.
CATEGORY II: Careers involved in operating drinking water treatment plants and ensuring water quality prior to delivery to homes, schools, and businesses.
CATEGORY III: Careers that provide service and support for the drinking water treatment plant operations.
CATEGORYN: Careers involved in planning, constructing, and maintaining distribution systems that carrywater underground to homes.
CATEGORYV: Careers involved in monitoring quantities ofwater used in homes and maintaining service lines to homes.
CATEGORYVI: Careers responsible for transporting wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant and monitoring sanitary conditions.
CATEGORYVII: Careers involved in operating wastewater treatment plants and ensuring water quality prior to its return to the source.
CATEGORYVIII: Careers that provide service and support for the wastewater treatment plant operations.

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Piped on Water

Summary
Students learn about Atlanta's water and wastewater delivery system by building a model of their school community.

Grade Level: Upper Elementary, Middle School
Subject Areas: Science, Language Arts, Art, Social Studies
Duration: UO minutes
Setting: Classroom
Skills: Discussion, Analyzing, Interpreting, Applying, Evaluating, Presenting
Charting the Course: Review information and diagrams on combined and separate sewers and do the activity Sewer System Soup prior to doing this activity. Study the maps indicating facilities and water source locations.
Vocabulary: Chattahoochee River, city engineer, water reclamation, man-made water cycle

Objectives
Students will:
~ build a model of the delivery system for Atlanta's drinking water and wastewater systems as it relates to their community, including separated and combined sewers, combined sewer overflows, a tunnel for storage, and a water and wastewater treatment facility.
~ trace the water and wastewater system from the source to the users and back to the source.
Assessments
~ Give the students a question from the post-test - 1 ~ Invite a class to listen to each team's presentation ofits model. Use the rubric
attached to listen for an understanding of the man-made water cycle. Do they understand the sequence from the river, water treatment, homes, schools, businesses, wastewater treatment and back to the river? Do they know the differences between a combined and separated pipe delivery system? Did everyone contribute to the delivery system and did everyone present? Were they careful to supply everyone with water and was the pipe delivery system stable? (Rubric)
Materials
~ maps of water treatment and wastewater treatment facilities ~ glue, stapler, construction paper, cardboard, markers, film canisters (tunnels)
straws, scotch tape, toothpicks, markers, crayons, large square piece of paper or cardboard, and paper towel holders to cut for storage tanks ~ Get different colored straws, so students can show the difference between drinking water pipes and wastewater pipes
Making Connections
Students most likely know that water moves through pipes to get to their homes and schools but they may not realize the planning, effort, and engineering it takes to get water from the river to the drinking water treatment facility, to their schools, homes, and to the wastewater treatment facility before it goes back to the river. By developing an awareness of the man-made water cycle in the urban
watershed, students will learn about the city planners and engineers who are
responsible for planning and overseeing the delivery ofwater to homes, schools, and businesses and who make sure that the delivery system works and provides the public with clean, potable water.

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Background
Adanta has a population greater than 400,000 and an urban metropolis of more than 4 million people. The Chattahoochee River is a relatively small watershed, but provides drinking water for one of the most densely populated areas in the country. (Upper Chattahoochee River Keeper - http://www.chattahooc~ee.org/Our river5.htm). The Chattahoochee River is under much pressure as a resource for Aclanta's water supply.
Water is removed from the Chattahoochee River and is processed in one of three drinking water treatment plants- Hemphill, Chattahoochee, or the AdantaFulton County Drinking Water Treatment Facility (The former two plants supply about 75% ofAdanta's drinking water). Originating at the Chattahoochee River, the city's water travels over various surfaces before it reaches our homes, schools and businesses. It picks up many contaminants along the way, including bacteria and viruses, pesticides and herbicides, salts and metals, chemicals, oils, and litter. These pollutants must be removed from the water before it is safe to drink. Once the water is treated, it is transported through a system of storage tanks, pumps, and pipes to homes, schools, and businesses.
In an effort to meet higher regulatory standards, Aclanta's four wastewater treatment facilities and the sixteen pump stations are undergoing major improvements at this time. There are four Water Reclamation (treatment) Centers in the Aclanta area. The Wastewater Reclamation (WRC) Centers are: RM Clayton WRC, (owned by Fulton County), Utoy Creek WRC, South River WRC and Intrenchment Creek WRC. The city's wastewater system however, is almost 100 years old. In addition, approximately 19 square miles ofAclanta, including downtown, is still served by a combined sewer pipe system. When the
weather is dry, wastewater from homes, schools, and
businesses travels through these sewers to wastewater treatment centers for treatment. Eventually, this treated wastewater is discharged into a waterway. When it rains, however, stormwater flows into the combined sewers too and travels to the wastewater reclamation (treatment) centers along with the wastewater from homes, schools,

and businesses. In the past, to prevent the centers from flooding, the combined flow was redirected to a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) treatment facility. This facility treated the combined flows and then released the water into a river or stream. During heavy rains, the water flow sometimes exceeded the capacity of the CSO facility. When this happened, wastewater and stormwater could overflow into the river. Today the wastewater system will have large underground tunnels that will capture the water from the combined sewer overflows and hold it until it can be treated later at an enhanced CSO treatment facility. Mter completing a comprehensive assessment of the CSO discharge and its treatment facilities, Adanta initiated a major program to modernize its wastewater infrastructure system. Under a federal court order resulting from a lawsuit, the city now has until mid-2007 to bring all discharges from CSOs into compliance with federal and state water quality laws. As the result of a second court order, Adanta must also eliminate sewage overflow from the city's separated sewers (85% of the total system) by 2014.
In Adanta there are more than 2,000 miles of sewers and 85% are separated. 15% are combined and that equals 330 miles. These combined pipes are concentrated in the central business district.
In order to prevent additional violations and achieve these goals, Adanta has developed a plan that has been approved by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). The multi-billion dollar plan includes the separation of about 85 miles of the city's 330 miles of combined sewers. The plan entails constructing new sanitary or storm sewers so that wastewater and storm water can be conveyed in separate pipes. The wastewater will be piped to a wastewater treatment plant and then discharged into a nearby waterway. Each day Metro Aclanta's sewage plants release approximately 500 million gallons of treated wastewater into the Chattahoochee River. Stormwater will also be released into local streams or returned to the river.

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In addition to the combined sewer separation project, Atlanta's new plan includes the construction of two tunnels that will be used to capture and store the combined sewer overflows caused by heavy rainfall. Excavated from rock similar to that of Stone Mountain, the tunnels will hold the overflow until the rainfall ends. The water will be conveyed to an enhanced CSO treatment plant before being released to a local waterway. Once the results of the CSO Improvement Plan have been realized, all Georgians, and even those beyond the state's boundaries, will benefit. Atlanta and its downstream neighbors will have cleaner, safer water and an improved quality of life.
Procedure
WarmUp
Take a large piece of paper or poster board and divide it in four sections and draw a picture of the school in the center of the board. Ask students to think about all the homes and businesses around the school that need water. Ask the students to name two or three homes or businesses in each quadrant of the map and draw them in and label them. Do this with each quadrant. Ask where the community will get its water. Then tell the students that they need to locate the river or waterway in relation to the school. Using the Atlanta Drinking Water Service Area map and the Wastewater Treatment Service Area map provided, locate the nearest intake for drinking water treatment and the nearest wastewater treatment facility. You can draw or stretch a piece of yarn beside the poster board to indicate where the river is. Water leaves the river and is piped to the drinking water treatment facility, then to the homes, schools, and businesses and finally goes to the wastewater treatment facility (reclamation center) and back to the river. Give students background on separate and combined sewers, and on the storage tunnels. Read the background and see the diagram of separate and combined sewers following the activity Sewer System Soup. Tell the students they are about to become city engineers and they have to figure out a piping or delivery system to get water from the river to the homes, schools and businesses and back to the river again. What kinds of things will they have to think about? (pumping stations, gravity, cost, pipe material etc.) Where is the river intake

and outfall? Use the maps included in this activity to locate the river and treatment facilities. In general water moves under pressure to the water treatment plant (students will need to build pumps) and by gravity to the wastewater treatment plant.
The Activity 1. Divide the students into four teams and assign each team a community section of the quadrant. Explain to the students that together all the teams will build one large model of the community surrounding the school. Each team will be responsible for building a representative model of their area. Two teams will build a combined pipe system and two teams will build a separated pipe system (See Sewer System Soup). Teams may need to go on a hike of the school campus to get their community area in mind before beginning the construction.
2. Give each team a piece of construction paper or cardboard the size of flip chart paper and give each team a section that represents a quadrant of the community. Students will need to put the school in the area it should be depending on what quadrant they have. If the team has the lower right quadrant, the school will be in the upper left corner. (Remember that the school is in the center of their community) The team will need to generally locate where the river is and where the nearest drinking water and wastewater treatment facility is in relation to their community. Students will construct the piping ofwater from the river to their section of the quadrant and back to the river. Encourage students to use constrUction paper to build a three dimensional diagram of their quadrant. Straws and toothpicks can be used to construct their pipe systems and film canisters make good storage tunnels or could be combined sewer overflow facilities. The school, river, and treatment facilities should be clearly labeled so that students can see where they are located during construction.
3. Ask the students to think about the community in the quadrant area around their school and draw a rough draft of the buildings. Have each team construct the buildings that were mentioned in the opening discussion. Each team should have some places to construct from the warm up discussion. There could be someone

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working on streets that can be divided into residential vs. commercial, etc. The area does not need to be accurate, just representative of the community. For example, if a street has 20 houses on it, the group might build 5. It may be helpful to use corrugated or stiff board ifyou want to keep items glued and permanent.
4. Using the materials provided, have each team build and label the buildings in their area. Students can use construction paper to create houses and businesses, etc. Ask 1-2 representatives from each team to glue or tape the buildings to the designated areas on the cardboard.
5. There are large pipes that get water from the river to the drinking water treatment facility and sometimes a pump is necessary to get water from the river to the drinking water treatment facility. Water is stored prior to sending it on to homes, schools, and businesses and it will need to be pumped so students will need to build storage tanks and pumping stations. Then depending on whether the team is a separated or combined wastewater pipe system, they will need to build their wastewater pipe system with one pipe (combined) or two pipes (separated). Send students to the www. cleanwateradanta.org web site and go to environmental education and sanitary sewers. The site has a combined and separated sewer system simulated diagram and students can actually see these sewer systems in action. A combined pipe carries wastewater and stormwater and separated pipes carry wastewater in one pipe and stormwater in another pipe. Make sure students put storm drains in their community to capture all the stormwater after a rain. In a combined pipe the wastewater and stormwater travel in the same pipe to the wastewater treatment facility. When the wastewater treatment facility is at capacity, the excess water goes to the combined sewer overflow (CSO) treatment facility, then to the storage tunnel and finally to the enhanced CSO treatment facility. They will need a pumping station at the tunnel to get the water to the enhanced CSO treatment facility. Combined pipe teams will need to build a Combined Sewer Overflow facility (CSO) to take any overflow for treatment during heavy rain episodes. In the past stormwater and wastewater went to the CSO and sometimes in heavy rain, straight to

the river. Today there are large underground storage tunnels in the system that are designed to take any water that can't be treated at the CSO. This water remains in the tunnel until a time in the future when that water can be treated. It is pumped on to the enhanced sewer overflow facility after the weather improves. Have students study the map that shows the location of the wastewater treatment plant nearest their community. If they are building combined pipes they will need to add CSOs, an underground storage tunnel, and another enhanced combined sewer overflow treatment plant. Separated pipe teams will need to build two separate pipe lines. They do not need the CSO, tunnel, or the enhanced CSO treatment facility. The wastewater pipes will leave homes, schools and businesses and go straight to the wastewater treatment facility. Storm drains in the community will deliver stormwater to underground pipes that take the stormwater to the river.
6. Mter all teams have completed their "piped" community, bring the 4 quadrant pieces back together. Are the pipes for each community beginning at the river? Are the pipes going to the drinking water treatment facility, then to the homes, schools and businesses? Do the wastewater pipes leave the homes, schools, and businesses and go to the wastewater treatment facility and back to the river? Can you tell the difference between the drinking water pipes and the wastewater pipes? Does the wastewater treatment plant have an outfall or place where the water is discharged back to the river? Do the combined pipe systems have just one pipe containing wastewater and stormwater going to wastewater treatment and do the separated pipe systems have two pipes going to the wastewater facility and the other going to the river from the homes, schools, and businesses?
7. Appoint several volunteers to "inspect" the model community. Are all the pipes laid correcdy? Are they all connected? Do they bring water from the water treatment facility to the homes, school, and businesses and eventually connect to the wastewater treatment facility and finally to the river? Should any of the pipes be connected to pipes from the other sections? Give the teams some time to work with the other teams

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and see if they want to connect any piping to make the community system more efficient. If pipe repairs are needed how can they get to these pipes to fix them? Do students think there are people who have to check and repair pipes on the job everyday? Have them look at the people on the Career Cards in the Wet Work Shujjle activity who are checking pipes by video camera to find a leak in a pipe. The camera is being lifted down into the pipe and there is a person watching the video camera in the truck to find the leak or crack in the pipe.
8. When the model has been completed, ask the teams to brainstorm what occupations are needed to enable the scenario they have designed to take place. How does the water get from the waterway to the facility or to homes, schools and businesses? What jobs are necessary to make this happen? What kinds of things would a city engineer have to think about in order to move the water from the river and back to the river again in an urban man-made water cycle? (topography, type of soil and rock, gravity, development in place, expenses, materials needed, contractors to do the job).
9. Have your class invite other classes in to see your
model community "Piped On"water. As the assessment
have each team present their model to the visiting class and have them each explain the reasoning for their piping system. It would be great to invite an engineer to speak about pipes and the delivery system. Contact the Department ofWatershed Management at 404-330-6980.

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Piped on Water Rubric for Assessment
Assessment 2: Invite the class to listen to each team's presentation of its model.

Category

4

3

2

1

Participation

Each student in the group actively contributed to the production of the model, and each had a role in the presentation. Students cooperated and the entire project was a group effort.

One or more students had a minor role in the presentation or the production of the model, while others did the majority of the work.

A few students worked on the model and a few presented the model, but none did both.

One or more students did not participate in either the production of the model or the presentation of the model, or students did not cooperate on the task.

Neatness

The model was

The model was slightly

constructed neatly and messy 0 R inaccurate.

accurately.

The model was slightly messy AND inaccurate.

The model was very messy and/or extremely inaccurate.

Presentation Skills

The group presented their model very effectively. All information was clear and accurate.

The group presented their model well. Most information was clear and accurate.

The group could have presented more information on the model OR the presenters were unclear about the information they were presenting.

The presentation included very little information or the presenters did a poor job at communicating the information.

Comprehension

The students completely understand the sequence of the manmade water cycle.

The students understand the sequence of the man-made water cycle for the most part.

The students partially understand the sequence of the manmade water cycle.

The students do not understand the sequence of the man-made water cycle.

Comprehension

The students fully comprehend the differences between separated and combined sewer systems.

The students understand the differences between separated and combined sewer systems for the most part.

The students partially understand the differences between separated and combined sewer systems.

The students do not understand the differences between separated and combined sewer systems.

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Just Pipe Up!

Summary
Students will build a pipeline in a puzzle activity using tubes for pipes to make a delivery and collection system in an activity that mimics the journey water takes from river to river in the man-made water cycle.

Grade Leftl: Upper Elementary, Middle School
Subject Areas: Science, Language Arts
Duration: 40 minutes
Setting: Indoors or Outdoors
Skills: Sequencing, Organizing, Presenting, Interpreting
Charting the Course: This activity is a good icebreaker for any discussion on water or wastewater treatment and is a good visual for the activity Wet Work ShufBe and Piped on Water.
Vocabulary: clear well, infrastructure, primary treatment, pumping station, raw water, secondary treatment, sewer pipe, storage tank, water pipe, man-made water cycle, advanced treatment

Objectives
Students will: ~ Sequence the water supply and wastewater collection through infrastructure placement in an urban watershed through puzzle matches.
Assessments
~ Give a complete set of infrastructure cards to students working in teams of three and four. Ask them to sequence the infrastructure for the man-made water cycle by ordering the cards from river to river. Remind them that they should begin and end with the river. Each team's list should be ordered like the table in #1 of the activity procedure. Use the Piping Up Chart as your answer key. Use the just Pipe Up song to help students prepare for the assessment.
Materials
.- Paper towel tubes of varied lengths correctly labeled ~ Markers - 2 colors
~ just Pipe Up Piping Chart for each team
~ Marbles or ball that is small enough to roll through the tubes ~ Pipes/tubes (1 pipe set= 13 tubes) ~ Stopwatch or watch with a second hand ~ 1 set of infrastructure placement cards per team ~ Infrastructure definitions for each student that matches the infrastructure
stops on their tube
Making Connections
Students may be aware their water source is the river but they may not know that water must be pumped and stored at various locations as it flows through pipes to drinking water and wastewater treatment. They will get a sense of the infrastructure and processes in water delivery and wastewater collection.

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Background
In Atlanta the Chattahoochee River is the source of 80% ofAtlanta's drinking water and is the lifeblood of the metropolitan area. There are three raw water intakes for drinking water at the Chattahoochee, Hemphill and the Atlanta-Fulton Drinking Water Treatment Plants. Mter drinking water treatment, water is pumped to homes, schools, and businesses and the wastewater flows mostly by gravity through sewer pipes to the wastewater treatment plant and back to the river. The Wastewater Treatment plants are R.M. Clayton, Utoy Creek, South River, and Intrenchment Creek Water Reclamation Facilities. In Atlanta there are over 2,000 miles of sewer lines. 85% are separated and the remaining 15% are combined sewer lines (after separation there will be 90% separated and 100Al combined). There are more than 300 miles of combined sewer lines and over 1,500 miles of separated lines in Atlanta that are concentrated in the central business district. A separate sewer line collects wastewater in one pipe and stormwater in another pipe. A combined sewer pipe carries both wastewater and stormwater in the same pipe.
The Atlanta metropolitan area has grown dramatically over the past decade adding pressure to a very small watershed and river basin. The city has permits to withdraw 80 million gallons ofwater daily from the river.
Water movement through the man-made (pipe) water cycle system depends on the land's topography. Sometimes water requires pumping and sometimes water in the sewer system can move by gravity. The term raw water in this activity refers to water from the river before drinking water treatment. Water is pumped from the river and goes to a rawwaterpumpingstation before arriving at the drinking water treatment plant. A raw water reservoir is a place where water is held or collected prior to treatment. Drinkingwatertreatment involves coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. (see the lesson "What is Your Standard" and "River to River" for more detail on these processes). Treated water for drinking is held in clear wells, and then goes to a pumping station prior to being
transported to storage tanks, before it flows to homes,
schools, and businesses.

Wastewater is used water from homes, schools, and businesses, and travels in a wastewater collection system that includes wastewater sewer lines (pipes). Along the way it might encounter a pumping station before it flows to the wastewater treatment facility.
The first stage of treatment at the wastewater treatment facility is primary treatment where most of the solids are screened out through the physical processes of screening, skimming, and settling. Sand, grit and gravel are small enough to move through the screens but are picked up at the next stage in the grit chamber. In the grit chamber the water slows down and the grit drops to the bottom. Grit is made up of small pieces of sand, gravel, and other hard material small enough to get through the first screening process. Next the water goes through the sedimentation process where suspended solids drift to the bottom of the tank. Grease and oil rise to the surface and are skimmed off. Sedimentation is the end of the primary process ofwastewater treatment.
During secondary treatment, biological processes are used to clean the water. During the activated sludge process, wastewater and microorganisms are mixed in a tank where air is added. (aeration and agitation) The microorganisms in turn eat the organic pollutants in the water. A second round of sedimentation occurs followed by disinfection through the use of chlorine or ultra violet lights.
Advanced treatment occurs when there is a higher degree of treatment through filtration. The water is filtered through sand and crushed stone to remove any small particles. When the filters become clogged with solids they are backwashed and then the collected solids are reprocessed in the plant.
Procedure:
WarmUp
Divide students into teams and give each team a set of Infrastructure Placement Cards (See copy pages and cut out the infrastructure placement cards) to trace the flow ofwater (create a man-made water cycle) from the river to their homes and back to the river. Give each team 10 minutes to create the actual flow using the infrastructure

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placement cards. Ask each team to explain their design to the class. Ask them to describe what the water moves in and what is needed to keep it moving. Each team will present their design to the class. Discuss the topography ofland and the need at some point for pumping water and at other points for gravity to do the work. Generally, water is under pressure when it Il?Oves to drinking water treatment and is moving mosdy by gravity to wastewater treatment. Drinking water pipes are under different regulations than wastewater pipes and are completely different pipe systems. Allow a few minutes for each team to give their explanations of the pipe order they have created. Mter team explanations hand out the Piping Chart to each team and ask them to place their infrastructure cards on the correct answers on the Piping Chart. Students are now ready to build the actual pipe systems using the knowledge they now have about the drinking water and wastewater pipe systems. They will sequence the pipes in order by doing the just Pipe Up activity and connecting the pipes end to end.

The Activity 1. Prior to the activity make sure that the tubes are color
coded with drinking water tubes/pipes in blue marker for example and wastewater tubes/pipes in brown or black marker. Drinking water pipes/tubes are 1-8 and wastewater sewer pipes are tubes 9-14. Label the tubes/ pipes in the correct order (table below) repeating the last station so that each tube can make a match with the next infrastructure stop. If the first tube has river at one end and rawpumping station at the other end, then the next tube should be labeled raw pumping station and raw water reservoir. The next tube begins raw water reservoir and has water treatmentplant at the other end. Continue labeling tubes using the infrastructure names from Table 1 below. The names to be written on the tubes are as follows: River, Raw Pumping Station, Raw Water Reservoir, WaterTreatment Plant, Clear Wells, Pumping Station, Storage Tanks, Homes and Schools and Businesses, Wastewater Pump Station, WastewaterTreatment Plant, PrimaryWastewater Treatment, SecondaryWastewaterTreatment,Advanced WastewaterTreatment, River.

Students from A.D. Williams Elementary pilot the activityjust Pipe Up.

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Table 1: Below is a table of how each tube should be labeled and ordered

Tube
1 2 3
4 5 6 7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Be.;nninK Half ofTube

Last Half ofTube

n . - Water Pipes Color them BLUE

River

Raw Pumping Station

Raw Pumping Station

Raw Water Reservoir

Raw Water Reservoir

Water Treatment Plant

Water Treatment Plant

Clear Wells

Clear Wells

Pumping Station

Pumping Station

Storage Tanks

Storage Tanks

Homes, Schools, and Businesses

Homes, Schools, and Businesses

Wastewater Pump Station

Wastewater Collection Pipes Color them BROWN

Wastewater Pump Station

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Wastewater Treatment Plant

Primary Wastewater Treatment

Primary Wastewater Treatment

Secondary Wastewater Treatment

Secondary Wastewater Treatment

Advanced Wastewater Treatment

Advanced Wastewater Treatment

River

2. Ask students and parents to recycle their paper towel and tissue holders and collect enough to make two pipelines, or 26 tubes. Use different colored markers
to indicate drinking water delivery pipes (1-8) and wastewater collection pipes (8-13).
3. Hand out the tubes randomly (one tube per student)
and ifyou have more than 13 students you will need 2
sets of pipes or tubes. If you have a class of 26 students
for example, you will need 2 sets of pipeline puzzles.
4. Ask students to find their match and make a pipeline. Keep a stopwatch nearby and time the number of minutes it takes for them to construct the pipeline man made water cycle. Tell them there are many community members who need to get their water and are quite anxious for this project to be completed.
5. When everyone has made a match, note the number of minutes it took. Then ask students to read their infrastructure definition (see infrastructure definition copy page) to the class beginning at the River and discuss what happens at their section of man-made water cycle. If they have the tube that says Clear Wells and Pumping Station discuss what a Clear Well is and why a Pumping Station might be needed at that point in the man-made water cycle.

6. Tell the students that you are going to see what kind of condition the water delivery and collection system is in and that you will be putting water through the system
(a marble or two) and everyone will have a chance to see if the water can pass from pipe to pipe. At this point
the teacher puts a marble or two in the man-made water
cycle to see if the marble can pass all the way to the end
of the pipeline system. If the marble falls through it opens discussion about pipes that crack or break and the
need for people in careers that will keep pipes, stations,
and the delivery and collection system in good repair. If there is a break, discuss where it is and how that break could affect the health of people and animals. Students may have to use gravity to get the marble through the pipe. They may need to push it through the tube. (pumping station)
7. Collect the pipe puzzles and do the activity a second
time. See ifstudents can build their man-made water
system quicker now that they are more knowledgeable about the man-made water cycle and the infrastructure placement.
8. Time students with the stopwatch. They should be able to build their pipeline with more efficiency and knowledge this time because they are experienced.

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WrapUp Leave one pipeline connected and in view for all the teams to see. Now have each team compare their original
plan or design to the actual pipeline and its infrastructure placements. Ask each team to correct their infrastructure placement cards and share what they had correct and what was incorrect. Then remove the pipeline and have the team try and order the cards using the Infrastructure Placement Cards. Sing the just Pipe Up song and let the students use the song to prepare for the assessment.
Works Cited
Information from the City ofAtlanta Department ofWatershed Management, www.cleanwateratlanta.org
Water Education Federation, Preserving and Enhancing the Global Water Environment, www.weforg

A.D. Williams Elementary students build a wastewater collection system in the activity just Pipe Up.

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Infrastructure Definitions
Provide these definitions to students to read when they have completed the pipe puzzle.
River - the Chattahoochee river is the source of most of Adanta's drinking water
Raw Water Reservoir - a place where raw water is held before drinking water treatment
WaterTreatment Plant- drinking water treatment is primarily a chemical treatment. Water goes through coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection

Advanced Wastewater Treatment- a higher degree of treatment through filtration. Water is moved through layers of sand and crushed stone to remove any remaining small material or pollutants
Pumping Station - a place where water is put under pressure and pumped to a storage tank before delivery to homes, schools, and businesses
River - the treated wastewater is returned to the Chattahoochee River clean so that the water is safe for aquatic animals and downstream water users

Storage Tanks - a storage area for treated water prior to delivery to homes, schools, and businesses

Raw Water Pumping Station - a place where raw water (river water before treatment) is pumped to the raw water reservoir

Clear Wells - a place where water is held after drinking water treatment

Homes, Schools, Businesses - water users who create wastewater

Wastewater Pump Station - a place where wastewater is pumped to the wastewater treatment facility

Wastewater Treatment Plant- a wastewater treatment facility that cleans the water through physical and biological processes prior to return of the water to the river

Primary Wastewater Treatment- physical process of screening where most of the solids are removed through skimming and settling

Secondary Wastewater Treatment- biological processes in secondary treatment include the use of microorganisms that eat the pollutants after air is added to the treatment process

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Piping Up Chart
Student Infrastructure Placement Cards and Teacher Answer Key

8 Student Copy Page

RIVER RAW WATER PUMPING STATION
RAW WATER RESERVOIR WATER TREATMENT PLANT
CLEAR WELLS PUMPING STATION
STORAGE TANKS HOMES, SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES WASTEWATER PUMP STATION WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT PRIMARY WASTEWATER TREATMENT SECONDARY WASTEWATER TREATMENT ADVANCED WASTEWATER TREATMENT
RIVER

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8 Student Copy Page
Just Pipe It Up
(Tune ofJingle Bells)
Just pipe it up, pipe it up! (grab hands of person next to you) That's all you have to do, If you want a drink of water (drink a glass of water) And to wash your dishes too. (washing dishes)
Just go to the river (walk in place) And put your pipe right in. (place a pipe in the water) Pump up that RAW WATER; (pumping motion) To the PUMPING STATION. (pumping motion)
On to the RAW WATER RESERVOIR (hold arms out in round position) To water treatment it goes, On to the Clear Wells and Pump (pumping motion) Then STORE it before it flows. (hold arms out in round position)
To our HOMES and our SCHOOLS (house sign and book sign) And all our BUSINESSES too. Everyone gets clean water. Yippee Yip Yahoo!
We brush our teeth, and the water we use (brush teeth) To the sewer system it goes, To the Wastewater Pump Station, (pumping motion) To Wastewater Treatment it flows.

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18 Student Copy Page
There's PRIMARY TREATMENT, SECONDARY TREATMENT (hold up finger, then 2 fingers) ADVANCED TREATMENT too. (hold up three fingers) Everyone likes clean water Including fish and beavers too! (make fish motion with hand and beaver tail slap)
Now back to the RIVER (make waves) The water's all spanky clean, But it took a lot of work.so (wipe your brow) Help keep your river pristine!

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Rrms ~plash

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Students are honored each year at a State Award program at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The exhibit and teaching materials associated with the program are available from Georgia Project WET at no cost to the educators.

In 2005 a student was selected to receive the Urban Watershed Award. It was given to a student who most creatively expressed concern for the urban watershed through their art or poetry.

If you are interested in involving your students in this program please contact: Georgia Project WET!River of Words.

Urban Watershed Award winner Maia Wells, 11th grade-Druid Hills High School, Teacher, Betsy Eppes

The River of Words program is coordinated in Georgia by the Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) program and the Georgia Center for the Book, with support from the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia. It is sponsored by the Starbucks Coffee Company and The Starbucks Foundation. The program provides an opportunity for students to study their watershed and express

what they have learned through their original art and poetry.
River of Words is an international program that was created by writer Pamela Michael and former US Poet Laureate, Robert Hass. Students' art and poetry is judged at the national level and then returned to Georgia for the selection of State winners. The poetry and art travels in two separate exhibits statewide for a year following the program.

Environmental Protection Division
4220 International Pk:y. STE 101 Atlanta, GA. 30354 404-675-1638 or 404-675-1762 Visit the International Program web site www.riverofVvords.org

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What Is Your Standard?

Summary
Students simulate Adanta's drinking water treatment processes in order to better understand the effort and cost involved in meeting water quality standards.

Grade: Upper Elementary, Middle School
Subject Areas: Science, Physical Education, Language Arts, Math
Duration: 90 minutes warm up and field activity. 30 minutes classroom activity
Setting: Outdoors (preferred) or large open space indoors
Skills: Organizing, Analyzing, Interpreting, Comprehending, Synthesizing, Application
Charting the Course: The Warm-Up Activity from the Project WET lesson Reaching Your Limits done prior to this lesson helps students understand parts per million. Review the drinking water quality report,
Vocabulary: bacteria, chemical, Clean Water Act, coagulation, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), parts per million (ppm), parts per billion (ppb), additive, Safe Drinking Water Act, sedimentation, virus, water quality standard,
ffitration,disinf~tion

Objectives
Students will: ~ demonstrate the process used to meet Atlanta's drinking water standards through a physical activity. ~ understand the relationship between water treatment and water quality standards. ~ understand that there is a relationship between clean water and what it costs to keep the water clean and safe for drinking.
Assessments
~ Give the students questions from the post-test - 8, 9, 10, and 11. ~ Ask the students to write a story about what happened to them as "raw"
water. What contaminants did they pick up? What additives did they pick up? Did the class meet the standard? How much did it cost the City to clean the water and where did the City get the money to do it? (Rubric)
Materials
~ Copy of the Georgia Water Quality Report ~ Ziplock bags labeled C for contaminant or A for additive ~ 1 C bag labeled and 1 A bag labeled per student ~ Contaminant and Additive cards. It's best to laminate and color them. ~ Small containers (buckets, bowls, bags, recycled containers) to hold the
contaminants and additives. Provide one container for each contaminant and additive ~ 1 student standards score card per person ~ 1 contaminant total class and 1 additive total class score card per player ~ 1 pencil or crayon for each student ~ Hula hoops/yarn or chalk to designate a circle around each contaminate and additive bucket or bag and make the contaminate circles different from the additive circles ~ !large process card for each process labeled coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. ~ 1 whisde for the Treatment Plant Operator ~ Clips to affix contaminant and additive labels to each bucket, bowl, bag etc. ~ 1 cup of"Chattahoochee River" water to begin the lesson (water should contain sediment, rocks, sand, leaves, and twigs)

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Making Connections
Students may be aware that clean water comes from the faucet but they may have no idea how that happens and who sets the standards for safety and quality. They may not have thought about the connection between clean water, health, and cost to the consumer that comes with drinking water treatment.
Background
Each day the Adanta Water System provides approximately 120 million gallons of treated drinking water to nearly 1 million residents in the Adanta metropolitan area. All the water processed is surface water that is pumped from the Chattahoochee River. The raw water intake for the Chattahoochee and Hemphill Water Treatment Plants is located on the Chattahoochee River, north ofPeachtree Creek. The Chattahoochee Plant receives the water directly from the river. The Hemphill Plant processes raw water that has been pumped from the river to a reservoir. These two plants supply about 75% of Adanta's drinking water. The remaining water is supplied by the Adanta-Fulton County Water Treatment Plant, which also processes water from the Chattahoochee River. This plant supplies treated (finished) water to the northeast area of the Adanta distribution system.
Drinking water must meet or exceed all safety and quality standards set by the State of Georgia and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since 1970 the U .S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has had the major Federal responsibility for protecting the quality of the American environment and controlling the effects of pollution on public health. There are also laws that help protect citizens concerning water quality. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act was amended and became a law that came to be known as the Clean Water Act in 1977. The Clean Water Act established the structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States. It gave EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry. The Clean Water Act also mandated requirements to set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters. The Act made

it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained under its provisions. It also funded the construction of sewage treatment plants under construction grants programs and recognized the need for planning to address the critical problems posed by nonpoint source pollution (pollution carried by runoff during heavy rains that ends up in storm drains and eventually our waterways where the source is not easily identifiable).
Another law that protects our water quality in Georgia is the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which requires water systems to monitor for unregulated parameters in order to assist the EPA in determining where certain contaminants occur and whether additional regulations may be necessary. Annually, over 12,000 samples of untreated (raw) and treated (finished) water are collected and over 50,000 tests are conducted that screen for more than 150 potential contaminants. Water quality standards are set and contaminants are carefully monitored. Each contaminant has a standard or level at which in can be in the water without causing harm to human and aquatic health. The City ofAdanta Water System and the Adanta Regional Commission (ARC) have done a source water assessment itemizing potential sources of surface water pollution to the drinking water supply. The results can be found at: www.adantaregional.com/swap/
As Atlanta's stormwater travels over various surfaces it picks up contaminants along the way. These contaminants include: bacteria and viruses, pesticides and herbicides from agriculture and lawn care, stormwater runoff that carries many types of nonpoint source pollution, salts and metals from industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, sediment from erosion and development, organic chemicals from urban runoff, septic tank pollutants, and radioactive waste from oil/gas production and mining.
To remove contaminants from the water, the raw river water enters the water treatment plant pipe. Control room operators add lime for pH control, potassium permanganate for disinfection, and powdered carbon

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----------------------~'~-

for taste and odor control. Then the alum and other chemicals are added to the water causing coagulation to occur. Tiny sticky particles form that are called "floc" and the "floc" attracts other particles. The "floc" finally gets heavy and settles to the bottom during sedimentation. The clear water moves to the filtration process where water passes through filters that help to remove even smaller particles. The next step is disinfection where a small amount ofchlorine is added to kill any remaining bacteria or microorganisms, phosphate to prevent any corrosion contamination, and fluoride to prevent tooth decay. Water is then placed in a closed tank or reservoir and sent on through the water delivery system that takes water to homes, schools, and businesses in the community.
Procedure:
WarmUp
Begin by asking students if they have standards they set for themselves. Write their answers on a board. Then explain that there are also standards for water quality that are set by laws and by the State of Georgia. Consider using the warm up activity in the lesson &aching Your Limits from the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide. The warm up activity gives students a visual ofwhat parts per million might look like. Since removing all the pollutants is economically impractical, explain that the government sets standards to define how much of each pollutant is allowable in the water while remaining at safe levels for human health. Most of these standards are set in parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb). Hold up the glass of Chattahoochee River water and ask students if they would like to drink it. Ask them why they wouldn't like to drink it. Tell the students that it is easy to say no when you see the sediment, rocks, wood, litter, debris etc. but you also want to be cautious of possible contaminants and bacteria that cannot be seen. Therefore water treatment is needed. You can ask students what has to be done to the Chattahoochee River water prior to becoming the drinking water that comes from their faucets.
The Activity (Field)
1. Tell students they are going to do an activity that simulates the effort required to clean Adanta's water for drinking and meeting water quality standards. Ask

students to brainstorm possible contaminants they might find in raw water prior to water treatment. Tell them they are going to be raw water from the river and they are going to go through water treatment. They will be trying to get rid of their contaminants and they are going to be picking up the additives.
2. Use the contaminant/additive copy pages and copy enough contaminants so that each student will have at least 14 contaminants in their zip lock contaminant bags and at least one additive each to be picked up in the additive areas. Students will need to make 21 stops if they are to get contaminants cleaned and get the additives needed. Give each water student a zip lock bag that has the contaminants (14) in it. Ask students to find a contaminant in their bag and read it to the class. Ask the class where the contaminant might come from. You can have students do research on the contaminants by going to http://www.epa.gov/safewater/hfacts.html Do this until you have covered the contaminants. The water students will also have a zip lock bag that has nothing in it. This is the additive bag and will be used to gather all the additives, one card for each additive. Use a hula-hoop to start the action. Have water students begin play by moving through the hula-hoop that has been placed vertically at the beginning of the field area to represent a pipe coming into the water treatment plant carrying raw water from the river. Students will enter the field area one at a time while the plant manager holds the hula-hoop in a vertical position.
3. Designate a field area for the water treatment facility and place cones around the perimeter of the water treatment/field area. Make the field area large enough to accommodate the 14 contaminant containers and the 7 additive containers and enough space for students to move around freely, the larger the space, the more difficult the challenge to clean the water. Place 14 buckets/bags in the center of the field randomly that have a different contaminant label on each container. (See field diagram). Place the hula-hoops or yarn around the designated contaminant or additive buckets in the field. Make the additive area look different from the contaminant area. Use different colored hoops or yarn to help students distinguish between contaminants and additives.

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4. Set up 4 additives near the beginning of the water treatment facility/field area placed randomly and labeled, carbon, lime, potassium, and alum and 3 near the end of the treatment process to represent the additives in the disinfection area. Label each of these three additives, fluoride, chlorine, and phosphate. Each hoop area container has its own label. Place a container or bag in each hula-hoop to hold the additives that each student must get in their travels or just put the additive cards on the ground ifit is not windy. There should be at least one additive card for each student in the container/hoop area. Students will pick up one additive from each area and add it to their additive bag during treatment.
5. Select a Water Treatment Manager. The remaining students in the class will represent raw water in the field activity and the water treatment budget in the class portion of the activity. The Water Treatment Manager is in charge ofthe process moves. The Water Treatment Manager begins by having everyone enter the field through a hula hoop to represent water moving through a pipe from the river. Water students will also leave the field through a hula hoop at the end of the treatment process for distribution to homes, schools and businesses. The Treatment Manager will collect all the contaminant score cards after the water students have filled them out. Managers are held accountable for standards and for any fines.
6. Select a time keeper (this can be done by the teacher or the plant manager) and you can give the water students 3-5 minutes to move through the treatment plant. However ifit is too easy, you can reduce the time factor or make the field area larger. To provide more safety you can have the students walk through the water treatment facility.
7. Students are given these instruction~: "You are now "raw" water moving through water treatment and you will need to get rid of the contaminants in your bag ifyou can in the next few minutes. You will walk/run to the buckets and drop in the contaminant that is labeled for that bucket. Fecal Coliform goes in the Fecal Coliform bucket and Oil goes in the Oil bucket for example. You will also notice that you have to get some things in your journey. These are additives that the treatment plant puts in the water to disinfect, or to protect your teeth or to make

the water clump together for example. The additives are in the containers in the hula-hoops. There are 7 additives, 4 up near the front of the treatment process (Pre-Treatment) that include: lime, alum, potassium, and carbon, and three before water leaves the treatment plant (Post Treatment) as "finished" water. Water students will need to get one of each of these additives and put it in their additive bag: alum, lime, potassium, carbon, chlorine, phosphate, fluoride (7 additive areas in the field). At the same time you are moving, you will go through the treatment process. The Water Treatment Manager will blow a whisde and say "coagulation". That means that something is added to the water to create a clumping ofparticles that is called "floc". Students will need to find 2 partners and walk in hand to the next stations. Then the water treatment manager will blow a whisde and will say"sedimentation." Students will sit down and count to 10, which represents the settling of particles on the bottom. (Students are no longer holding hands in groups when they sit down) Then at some point in the process the water treatment manager will blow the whisde and say "filtration." Students will need to circle at least 3 other students to represent filtration of the water. Finally the water treatment manager will blow the whisde and say "disinfection." All raw water students must go to the 3 hula hoops at the end of the field and gather phosphate, chlorine, and fluoride before going to storage tanks and then to homes, schools, and businesses. If students have released contaminants and have all their additives they can pass through the pipe (hula hoop) at the end of the treatment plant (field) area. The timekeeper calls time.
8. At the end of the time period each finished water student will count the contaminants in their bag and record (check them) them on the contaminant score card. They will also record the additives they do not have. If any additives are missing, put an X on those that are missing. Iftime permits, students can do a second round of treatment. All water students will need to put the additives back in the hula-hoop areas and get their 14 contaminants back in their contaminant bucket/ bag. After the second round, Water Treatment Plant Managers will collect all the score cards to compile the data and see if they have met standards.

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The Activity (Classroom) 8. The teacher will tell the class that they are now all
part of the water treatment facility and have a budget for the year. The water treatment facility budget is $10,000 for the year. Each person in the class will work with the teacher to add up the fine for any standards not met. Ask the students to look at their contaminant and additive score cards. The teacher will remind students that water treatment must meet water quality standards set by the State and by EPA. The teacher will ask the class to look at their score cards and raise their hand if they had oil left as a contaminant not cleaned and record the total number on the board and continue to put the class totals down for each contaminant. Note on the contaminant score card that each contaminant has a standard and it will say 20 ppm or 10 ppm for example. That means in this activity that the treatment plant cannot exceed more than 20 ppm of that contaminant or it will not be an acceptable standard and be considered unsafe and unhealthy for consumption and out of compliance with the law. Therefore the plant will be fined according to the amount listed for every number over 20. If Oil is listed at 12 ppm and the class had 10 Oils total, the treatment for oil met standards. However if the standard for oil is 10 ppm and the class totaled
15 ppm, the Oil is ( to-5 = 5) or 5 over the limit. The
fine is $10.00 for each number over the standard. The treatment plant is fined 5 X $10.00 = $50.00 just for oil. Ask the students to get out their Treatment Plant Worksheet. Work through the rest of the totals for each contaminant with the students.

10. If the class played 2 rounds, the second round of play will also have to be added to the first total. When the total fine is assessed then the treatment plant will determine if they can pay the fine within their budget. ($10,000 for the year)
WrapUp
Each standard has a number of parts per million that is acceptable. If they go over that number during treatment they will be fined by the State EPD (Environmental Protection Division-EPD) They will add up the money that must be paid if they are out of compliance and not able to clean the water. The Water Treatment Plant has no money in the budget to pay a fine so EPD will send the fine to the Mayor. The Mayor will go to the City, the Department ofWatershed Management, and ask for the funds . If the City cannot pay the fine, the Mayor and City Council will have to find another way to pay it, which could include a rate increase for citizens. Students can role-play using actors for the City and the Mayor, City Council, and residents. The students in their roles can decide how they will pay for the water treatment upgrades. The Mayor and City Council will have to make the final decision if no one else has a plan.

9. The worksheet will have the contaminant category total and the allowable standard. Does the contaminant total exceed the standard? Ifso, subtract the number over standard from the total. Then multiply that number times the amount ofmoney owed for each number over standard and you will have the total owed for that contaminant. The teacher can help students with the grand total owed by listing the amount of money owed for each contaminant and then totaling this amount. For every additive missed add another $10.00. Ifone person missed 4 additives then that person adds $40.00 to the total.

Centennial Elementary 4th grade srudents pilot What is Your Standard? Activity (coagulation)

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What is Your Standard Rubric for Assessment
Assessment 2: Ask the students to write a story about what happened to them as "raw" water. What contaminants
did they pick up? What additives did they pick up? Did the class meet the standard? How much did it cost the city to clean the water and where did the city get the money to do it?

Category

4

3

2

1

Organization

Information is very organized in a well constructed story; each paragraph has a clear introduction, explanation, and conclusion.

Information is organized in a fairly well constructed story. Most paragraphs have an adequate introduction, explanation, and conclusion.

The paragraphs contain related information, but the story is not well constructed. Introduction, explanation, and!or conclusion sentences are frequently missing.

The information is disorganized. Paragraph structure is not clearand sentences are not typically related within the paragraphs.

Comprehension

Student is able to clearly demonstrate the process used to meet drinking water standards, including the roles of contaminants and additives.

Student is able to demonstrate the process used to meet drinking water standards and the roles of contaminants and additives for the most part.

Student is only partially successful in demonstrating the process used to meet drinking water standards 0 R only partially understands the roles of contaminants and additives.

Student is unable to successfully demonstrate the process used to meet drinking water standards AND does not understand the roles of contaminants and additives.

Comprehension

Student completely understands the relationship between water treatment and water quality standards.

Student mostly understands the relationship between water treatment and water quality standards.

Student partially understands the relationship between water treatment and water quality standards.

Student does not understand the relationship between water treatment and water quality standards.

Comprehension Student clearly understands the economic costs of clean water.

Student mostly understands the economic costs of clean water.

Student partially understands the economic costs of clean water.

Student does not understand the economic costs of clean water.

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Field Diagram For What's Your Standard?
Raw water students enter the field through a hula hoop/pipe. The pipe is the hula hoop in a vertical position where students enter the water treatment plant/field. Additive and Contaminant containers are put inside the hula hoop area or yarn in a circle or chalk circle.

0 Raw water students enter the field/water treatment facility.

4 Additives in area where students first enter treatment: (forward field placement)

A Lime

A Potassium Permanganate

A Alum

A Powdered Carbon

Students pick up additives in this area

Contaminants

c

c

c

c

c

c

c

c

c

c

c

c
c
c

Place 14 contaminant containers in a random pattern throughout the field area and add a yarn or hula hoop to designate the area. Label the containers by clipping on the contaminant or additive card label on the bucket

3 Additives for disinfection area:

A Phosphate

A Chlorine

A Fluoride

0 Students exit field through pipe (hula hoop) to leave water treatment area and go to clear wells, a pumping station, and a storage tank before delivery to homes, schools, and businesses:

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~ ~-------------------------------------------

Additives For Water Treatment:

Lime

(pH control)

Potassium Permanganate

(disinfection)

Powdered Carbon

(taste and odor control)

Alum____ (coagulation ofwater/clumping)

Phosphate____(corrosion control)

Chlorine_ _ _ _(disinfection)

Flouride_____(tooth decay prevention)

Atlanta Water Treatment FacilityToday

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Contaminant Field Cards
Oil

IS Student Copy Page
Gas

Virus

Fluoride (contaminant)

Barium

Chlorine (contaminant)

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Fertilizer

Turbidity

Pesticide

Fecal Coliform

Lead

Copper

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IS Student Copy Page

Arsenic
Additive Field Cards
Potassium P.

Cryptosporidium
Lime

Alum

Phosphate

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8 Student Copy Page
Chlorine (additive)

Fluoride (additive)

Powdered Carbon .

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8 Student Copy Page
Student Standards Scorecard
Contaminants: Put a check by the contaminants that are STILL IN your bag at the end of the activity. Oil Gas
Fertilizer Pesticide
Lead Copper Arsenic Fecal Coliform Cryptosporidium Viruses Turbidity Fluoride Chlorine Barium
Additives: Put a check by the additives that are NOT IN your bag at the end of the activity. Lime
Potassium Permanganate Powdered Carbon Alum Phosphate Chlorine Fluoride

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~
tj

ContaminantTotal Class Scored

VI

Contaminant

Class total for this contaminant

Standard

Is your class total more than the standard for this contaminant? (If your answer is "No", then

Ifyou answered "Yes", then calculate:
(class total)- (standard)=

Multiply your calculated answer by $10 to get the amount you owe.
Ifthe contaminant is marked Very toxic, multiply by $1000!

a.c.-+.
11> :::J
..-+
(j
0

go to next contaminant)

"0

'<

Oil (chemical found in

""0

lOppm

QJ

water: Xylene)

U:::l

11> Gas (chemical found in
Oppm water: Dioxin)

Fertilizer (chemical found



.......

in water: Nitrate)

::I

~ ('1)
:'":I'
I>'
o~

Pesticide (chemical found in water: Alachlor)

:e:I.

Lead

~

Copper

..9 .

('1)
n

Arsenic

~

~....,

Fecal Coliform

Cryptosporidium

lOppm
2ppb 15 ppb 1ppm 10 ppb
0 0

Very Toxic Contaminant! Very Toxic Contaminant!
Very Toxic Contaminant!

Viruses

0

Turbidity

lNTU

Fluoride

4ppm

Chlorine

4ppm

Barium

2ppm

TOTAL amount OWED

$

Remember that Chlorine and Fluoride can be BOTH contaminants AND additives! Standards are based on the EPA's National Drinking Water Regulations, which can be found at www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html

IS Student Copy Page

Additive Total Class Scorecard

Additive Lime

Number ofstudents that did NOT Multiply this number by $10 to get the

use this additive

amount you owe

Potassium Permanganate

Powdered Carbon

Alum

Phosphate

Chlorine

Fluoride

TOTAL amount OWED

$

Remember that Chlorine and Fluoride can be BOTH contaminants AND additives!

Combined total of Contaminant and Additive costs=_ _ _ _ __ This is the fine owed by the Water Treatment Plant!
Is there enough money in the Water Treatment Facility Budget to pay the fine?

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River To River

Grade Level: Upper Elementary and Middle School
Subject Areas: Science, Health, Social Studies, Language Arts
Duration: Preparation: 30 minutes Activity: 90 minutes
Setting: Indoors or Outdoors
Skills: Interpreting, Presenting, Applying, Organizing, Sequencing
Charting the Course: l*t- Work Shuffle and Piped on Water done prior to this lesson provide background for students on the water delivery process.
Vocabulary:
aeration, effiuent, finished water, inorganic, microbial contaminant, organic, potable water, ultra-violet, suspended solids, biosolids, pH

Summary
Students will learn about water and wastewater processes through an 8 station interactive lab.
Objective
Students will: ~ Understand the processes of drinking water and wastewater treatment
Assessments
~ Give the students questions from the post-test- 3, 12, 16, and 17. ~ Give students the diagram of the Man-Made Water Cycle without labels
and ask them to label each station using numbers that correspond to process stations on the matching sheet. ~ Give the students the worksheet with all of the stations listed in order and ask them to write one word or sentence that summarizes what happens at that stage of the process. Then ask the students to write a paragraph or fiveparagraph essay that uses those words or sentences to explain the drinking water and wastewater treatment processes.
Materials
~ Clear plastic cups (at least 2 per station) ~ Small jars for holding chemicals. Larger containers for storage and wastewater ~ Two different types of screens (large and small that will cover the diameter of
the cup), 2 sets for each process ~ Station identification cards ~ Sand, gravel, coffee filters , sticks, leaves, cereal, or another item that, when
added, will imitate wastewater and river water ~ Large jar to hold wastewater from homes, businesses ~ Bug (microorganism) hats or glasses (You can make bug hats with a strip of
construction paper cut to the circumference of the head. Wrap the construction paper around the head, and staple it adding two antennae made with two . other strips of construction paper and fasten the antennae to the head band). Dispensers for chemicals (film canisters labeled), measuring spoons ~ Flashlight for ultraviolet (UV) disinfection area or bottle labeled chlorine ~ Plastic spoons ~ Turkey baster for aeration

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Making Connections
Students may realize that water is treated in some way prior to drinking it but they may not make a distinction between the two processes of drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment. They also may not realize that both of these processes do similar things and that they mimic the natural process in many ways.
Background
Water treatment, also referred to as drinking water treatment, and wastewater treatment are often thought to be one process. They do have similar components but they are actually different processes occurring at different stages in the man-made water cycle. Also see the lesson in Project WET (Sparkling Water) for additional information on water treatment.
Water Treatment The sources of drinking water, both tap and bottled water, come from rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface ofland or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or human activity. Organic contaminants are composed ofhydrogen and carbon bonds and their derivatives are of plant or animal origin. They are made up of carbon molecules and are from naturally occurring living substances. Inorganic contaminants are composed of matter other than plant or animal such as salts and metals and can be naturally occurring or produced synthetically.
Organic contaminants that can be present in source water before treatment include: microbial contaminants, such as viruses or bacteria, which might come from leaking sewer pipes, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife. Inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals, can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, and mining. The use of pesticides and herbicides that come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, stormwater runoff, and residential uses can also be contaminants in the water. There are also organic chemical contaminants

that result from petroleum production and industrial processes or can come from stormwater, gas stations, and septic systems.
In the Atlanta urban watershed, water is pumped from the Chattahoochee River to the water treatment plant. Each day the City of Atlanta water system provides approximately 120 million gallons of treated drinking water to nearly 1 million residents in the metropolitan Atlanta area. All the water processed is surface water that is pumped from the Chattahoochee River. The raw water (water prior to treatment) intake (place where raw water is pumped from the river into the treatment plant) for the Chattahoochee and Hemphill Water Treatment Plants is located on the Chattahoochee River, north of Peachtree Creek. The Chattahoochee Plant receives water directly from the river. The Hemphill Plant processes raw water that has been pumped from the river to a reservoir. These two plants supply about 75% ofAtlanta's drinking water. The remaining water is supplied by the Atlanta-Fulton County Water Treatment Plant, which also processes water from the Chattahoochee River. Combined, these plants supply 245 million gallons of finished water daily. Systems the size ofAtlanta's must provide data to the State of Georgia from over 1,700 samples collected and analyzed. To ensure proper water quality, Atlanta's Bureau of Drinking Water, part of the Department ofWatershed Management, annually collects over 12,000 samples of untreated (raw) and treated water (finished) and conducts over 50,000 tests, screening for more than 150 potential contaminants. Every year Atlanta's water customers receive a report that lets them know ifAtlanta's water treatment plants have met all of the State water quality standards. This report is called the Consumer Confidential Report.
Wastewater Treatment Wastewater is previously used water from a community. Most of the flow ofwastewater is 99.9 percent water by weight. The rest is dissolved material that is suspended by water. This suspended material is called suspended solids. On average, each person in the United States contributes approximately 150 gallons ofwater a day (that is two bathtubs full ofwater) to the wastewater stream. Used water from homes, schools, and businesses,

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collects in a series of underground sewers. The wastewater moves through the sewers downhill by gravity to the treatment facility.
Separated sewers carry only domestic and industrial sewage, while combined sewers carry wastewater and stormwater runoff. In some cases, special pumps are needed to force the wastewater uphill into the facility. Often the wastewater contains materials such as rocks, paper and sand, so these pumps have to handle many different conditions. There are four wastewater treatment plants that serve the Adanta area. They are:
~ R.M Clayton Water Reclamation Center ~ Utoy Creek Water Reclamation Center ~ South River Water Reclamation Center ~ Intrenchment Creek Water Reclamation Center
Because they are so important to a city's operation, treatment plants have no holidays and operate 24 hours a day. To make sure wastewater is cleaned and meets requirements, a treatment facility has to be operated and managed skillfully. Wastewater treatment facility managers have to be skilled in many areas of operation. They are in charge of budgeting, personnel, communications, and need to have supervisory skills, know government procedures, mechanics, chemistry, hydraulics, biology and computer operation.
Water is a finite resource and because we have all that we will ever get on our planet, it must be protected. The wastewater treatment facility is critical in keeping our water clean while it replicates the natural water cycle in the way wastewater is processed, cleaning it like rain that percolates through the ground filtering out contaminants before returning it to the river or underground aquifers. The function ofwastewater treatment is to speed up the natural process ofwater purification by creating more controlled conditions where bacteria and other organisms consume the waste just like they do in a natural process. Wastewater treatment is also much more complicated than water treatment. In Adanta, plants treat anywhere from 50 -100 million gallons ofwater daily (mgd).

There are three kinds of treatment in wastewater treatment: physical, chemical, and biological. Treatment is also referred to as primary, secondary, and tertiary or advanced treatment. During primary treatment suspended solids are removed by screening, floating or setding and these are physical processes. In secondary treatment, contaminants are biologically removed that are dissolved in the wastewater and chemicals are added. Advanced treatment involves filtering the water through sand and gravel to remove smaller particles that still remain in the water and this is a physical treatment.
Procedure
WarmUp
Introduce your students to the water and wastewater treatment cycles by visiting Drip and Drop on the Adanta Department ofWatershed Management's web site. (www.cleanwateradanta.org/corner) Click on the Man-Made Water Cycle featuring Drip and Drop. This is a cartoon visual of the process steps in water and wastewater treatment. Note the Man-Made Water Cycle student copy page in the lesson.
The Activity- Sequencing the Process Steps 1. Divide students into four or five teams. Make a set
of station identification process cards and display them to the team in a random order. Each team will have 15 minutes to decide the order of processes and to write down the order as a team on the student copy page. Each team will select a recorder and spokesperson and will present their process station sequence rationale to the class during a team presentation. You may want to do this in two sessions using the Water Treatment Station Identification Cards first and later doing the Wastewater Treatment Station Identification Cards.
2. Using the River to River station identification process cards, have student teams determine the sequence of process operations. Each card represents a different operation in the constructed or man-made water cycle. The card has a diagram, an actual photo ofthe process at an Adanta treatment facility, and a briefdescription of the process. Teams will position the process cards in any order making a line from River to River. The station cards are to be folded in the center and placed in a tent position.

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i 4 -------------------------------------~

3. After students have completed team sequencing presentations, hand out copies of the Man-Made Water Cycle diagram and let each team discover how close they came to sequencing the treatment processes correcdy.
4. Set up the River to River simulation lab activity by following the procedure steps in the lesson for the process cards' order. Station order can also be matched by looking at the graphics from the Man-Made Water Cycle diagram. It may be a good idea to do the sequence one day and the simulation the next class day.
The Activity- Simulating ofthe Process Steps
Activity Set Up: Set up the classroom as a lab with 18 stations in a sequenced order, beginning with the drinking water intake. Depending on the number of students in your class assign one or two students to each station. Give students time to become familiar with their station process by reading the description and looking at the graphic and actual photograph of the process equipment. Have students prepare their station by making sure they have all necessary materials and by reading the step by step procedures given on the station identification cards. Mter students have prepared their presentation, the River to River lab will begin. It is important to have lab stations in close proximity to one another so that everyone can see what is being done at each station during presentations. Students need to present the process and demonstrate the process at their treatment station to the class and pass the processed water to the next station until the water is returned to the river. One station presents at a time and sends their treated water to the next sequential station. Assign an area in the room for the landfill and place an empty cup/ container there.
1. River Intake and Pumping Station -Three raw water intake conduits receive water from the river where it flows by gravity into underground wells before entering the pumping station. Electric pumps pump water to the water treatment plant raw water storage areas and then to the chemical house where the water treatment begins. Set up a jar of river water. Mix sediment, sand, sticks, leaves, seeds, bark and other debris in the water jar representative of river water.

Students at this station will pour water from the river jar into a clear cup in a lower position to simulate water flowing by gravity to the raw water pumping station. Students will do a pumping motion for ten counts to represent the raw water pumping station that pumps water to the treatment facility. Students will screen the water by placing a strainer/screen over an empty cup and pouring the river water through the screen into the empty cup to represent the screening out oflarger debris at this stage. Pour the water through larger to smaller screens. Take any remaining debris on the screen to the landfill. Screening should be done with at least two screen sizes. As water moves through treatment, the processes are physical, chemical or biological. Most of the processes in water treatment are physical and chemical. This is a physical treatment. The screened cup is delivered to the coagulation station. (Materials: river water cup, 3 clear cups, sand, sticks, bark, pebbles, leaves, sediment, large and small screening tools (large and small screens that cover the cups)
2. Coagulation Station - Label 4 small jars with one additive each: phosphate, alum, lime, potassium permanganate, and carbon and put water in all jars except the alum jar. Students at this station will take the plastic cup with the river water that has been screened and do a chemical application. Students will pretend to add the chemicals by adding 1 teaspoon water from each additive jar to the river cup. Control room operators will add lime for stabilizing the pH and buffering the water. Add 1 teaspoon from the lime jar to the river water cup. Add 1 teaspoon from the potassium permanganate jar to the river water cup to kill the bacteria and virus in the water. Add 1 teaspoon from the powdered carbon jar to help the water taste and smell good. Then actually add lh teaspoon alum powder, which helps particles stick together and form larger particles called "floc." Stir it through the water. Wait several minutes for particles to "floc" together. You may only see the first signs of it but it will make the point. The cup is passed to the sedimentation station (Materials: 4 labeled chemical dispensers and alum that you can get at most grocery stores in the baking section, plastic spoon, measuring spoons).

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3. Sedimentation Station- The water and "floc" particles flow into a sedimentation basin. The "floc" settles to the bottom and is then removed from the water. Students will take the water in the cup where the "floc" is attracting dirt particles and after a couple minutes, slowly pour off the water in the top of the cup into an empty cup. The heavy particles that have settled to the bottom are taken to the landfill. The clear water on the top is now moved to filtration (Materials: 1 clear plastic cup).
4. (Sand) Filtration Station- Students at this station will need to punch a hole in the bottom of a cup so that water will percolate through the cup of sand and gravel into another clear plastic cup. Place a coffee filter cut to fit on the bottom of the cup to keep the sand from filtering through into the empty cup. Make alternating layers of gravel and sand in a cup with the smallest gravel on the bottom. Hold an empty cup underneath the sand and gravel cup. Pour the water from the sedimentation cup into the gravel and sand filter cup. The cleaner water will exit into the empty cup below. If time allows, pour this water through the second filter if you have made a second sand and gravel cup. As the water passes through these filters smaller particles will be removed and trapped, imitating what happens in the natural cycle. The cup then goes to the . disinfection station (Materials: 2 clear cups, one filled with alternating layers of sand and gravel).
5. Disinfection Station- Labe13 cups or jars with fluoride, chlorine, and phosphate for demonstration purposes. At this station, students will add more chemicals. Substitute water for the chemicals with the exception of chlorine. Chlorine is added for disinfection and you may add several drops of Clorox (if it is teacher approved and supervised). This should be done with gloves and protective glasses if possible. Fluoride is added to protect teeth from decay, and phosphate is added for corrosion control. This helps keep pipes from leaving metals and things that might be dangerous to human health in the water. Students will take the cup ofwater after chemicals are added to the storage station and pour their cup into a larger container that will hold all the water prior to sending it to homes, schools, and

businesses. (Materials: 3 chemical dispensers labeled chlorine, fluoride, and phosphate, pipette to add drops of Clorox, measuring spoon or plastic spoon, water for substituted chemicals, actual drops of Clorox can be used for chlorine using the safety precautions)
6. Clear Water Storage Station- This station represents a closed tank reservoir that holds the water and sends it through pipes to homes, schools, and businesses. Potable or finished water (water that has been treated) is stored in underground clearwells that are safe, contained places for clean water. A larger container will need to be filled halfway with water and it will represent water that has been previously stored. Students will pour the passed station cup water into the larger storage container. Students will pour 1/3 cup water from the storage container into an empty cup and take the cup to the home station and leave it. Students will then pour about 1/3 cup water from the storage container into an empty cup and take the cup to the school and leave it. Students will pour 1/3 cup water from the storage container into an empty cup and take the cup to the businesses and leave it. They will do a pumping motion 10 times to represent the pumping ofwater through the system at this point. This represents the flow ofwater through the pipes from the storage station to the homes, schools, and businesses. There are over 2,000 miles of pipe in the Atlanta system. These storage facilities help maintain adequate pressures throughout the entire system and meet the need for fire protection. Make sure students notice how clean the water is as it leaves drinking water treatment. (Materials: 3 clear cups will be needed at this station along with a larger storage container filled to the half mark with water.)
7. Homes, Schools, Businesses/Distribution and Use- Three students will represent homes, schools and businesses and will receive the three cups ofwater from the Clear Water Storage Station. At this station, students will pour cereal, toothpaste water, rice, beans, tissue pieces, vegetable oil, and anything else gathered to represent household, school, and business waste, into the passed cups ofwater. People use water to wash dishes, to shower, to flush toilets, to wash clothes and on average

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use about SG-150 gallons ofwater daily. They will take their cups to Wastewater Collection to represent wastewater traveling by pipe to water reclamation plants or wastewater treatment (Materials: cereal, toothpaste, rice, beans, small pieces of tissue, salad oil, plastic spoon to stir the mixture).
8. Homes, Schools, Businesses/ Wastewater Collection- Miles of sewers collect the wastewater and with the help of pumping stations, deliver it to the wastewater treatment plant. The R.M. Clayton Plant, for example, has three levels of purification - primary, secondary and advanced. The plant can handle 240 million gallons ofwater daily but normally handles about 100 million gallons a day. The cups of water from homes, schools, and businesses are poured into a larger container with a lid, which represents wastewater arriving at the wastewater treatment plant. At this station simply shake the wastewater in the large container and pour wastewater into an empty cup to represent the water moving toward the bar screen building. The student at this station will pour the water from the large container into the empty cup labeled Headworks (place where wastewater treatment begins) and deliver it to the Bar Screen Station. (Materials: Large container with lid for wastewater and a clear plastic cup)
9. Bar Screen Station and Bar Screen DumpsterLabell cup the Bar Screen Dumpster. Labell cup the Landfill. At this station large screens separate out large debris such as rags, bottles, soccer balls, and sticks from the water. This is a physical process. Students at this station will place the large screen over an empty cup and pour the wastewater from the passed cup labeled Headworks through the screen to separate out the large debris. Take the debris left on the screen to the bar screen dumpster. From there the cup or debris is taken to the landfill. Take the cup, cleared oflarge debris, to the Grit Chamber Station. (Materials: 2 clear plastic cups, llabeled the bar screen dumpster, large screen).
10. Grit Chamber Station- At this station, smaller debris and particles are removed through a process that slows the water. In the actual process the heavier

inorganic particles settle to the bottom while the lighter organic solids remain suspended. Place a funnel in the empty cup and very slowly pour the screened water into the funnel. Pour water from the top of the cup off into another cup leaving any debris in the bottom. Take any debris and particles from the bottom of the poured cup to the landfill. Take the cup with debris that has been removed to the Drum Screen Station (Materials: funnel and 2 clear cups).
11. Drum Screen Station- This station contains a wheel that holds debris and drops it into a trough as it turns. This finer screening eliminates smaller debris. Gravity holds the solids and the wheel turns while particles fall into troughs. These particles are then taken to the landfill. Students can imitate this by placing a fine screen across the top of the cup and pouring the water through it into another cup. This removes smaller debris, plastics, and smaller particles. The debris in the screen is put in a cup and sent to the landfill. The water that has been poured through the screen into another cup is taken to the primary sedimentation tank (Materials: small screen like a tea strainer, 1 clear plastic cup for debris, and 1 clear plastic cup for screened water).
12. Primary Sedimentation Tank (Clarifier)- During the primary sedimentation process, the heavier particles settle to the bottom of the tank. Water is held here for several hours to allow settling out of heavier particles. 70% of all the solids are removed at this point. Settled particles, or primary sludge go to a centrifuge to be thickened and then to a digester (special tank where it is disinfected and dewatered). The sludge, or biosolids, is landfilled, recycled by burning for fuel, used as fertilizer, or soil conditioner. Lighter materials such as oil and grease, float to the top and are skimmed from the surface. Students will let the particles settle further and use a spoon to skim any oil and grease from the top and pour in another cup. They will pour offwater in the top of the cup into an empty cup allowing any particles that have settled to remain in the bottom. Take the settled particles to the digester (designate a place for the digester) and the water to the aeration basin. (Materials: 2 clear cups, spoon, construction paper, scissors, stapler or tape).

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13. Aeration Basin- Note: Microorganisms gather at the Digester. (3 persons needed at this station: 2 microorganisms and 1 to do the process) The Aeration Basin is a tank that mixes air with water to help microorganisms consume (eat) harmful materials.
An aeration station student goes to the digester and
brings the microorganisms to the Aeration Basin. Students can make bug hats with construction paper by cutting a band from construction paper to fit their head, and making two antennae. They become the microorganisms who are hungry and they pretend to be eating frantically. Microorganisms sing the song (See song on process card). Squeeze air into the Aeration Basin using the turkey baster. This tank also contains chemicals that cause settling to occur. During this chemical process the primary sludge is settled and the phosphorus is removed. Pretend to add chemicals to the water. This is a biological and chemical process and is secondary treatment. The microorganisms move to the final clarifier with the cup. Pass the cup to the Final Clarifier (Materials: turkey baster, bug hat/s, chemical dispenser, construction paper, scissors, tape or stapler).
14. Final Clarifier- In this secondary process the microorganisms bond to the pollutants; flocculation occurs followed by settling. Clumps form with solids settling to the bottom. These clarifier tanks have large arms that rotate slowly so that the sludge and scum settle to the bottom. The arms are 150 feet in diameter and 20 feet deep. Students stir slowly and then let the sedimentation occur. They will wait a couple minutes and pour the water off the top into another cup and take that cup to the filtration station. Someone at this station will take a younger microorganism back to the Aeration Basin to continue eating contaminants and take the other older bugs back to the digester (Materials: 1 cup, 1 spoon, and the microorganisms from the last station).

15. Effluent Filters- This process removes any final particles and sedimentation left after secondary sedimentation treatment. This step imitates the natural process by moving water through filters of rock and sand that scrub the water as it seeps through crushed stones covered with microorganisms that facilitate degradation of the sludge. Pumps pull water through stone filters that contain progressively smaller rocks finally going through sand filters. The stones scour and the backwash pump blows water around until it goes back to the system. Students at this station will construct 2 cups as filters by alternating layers of rock and sand making the rock layer at the bottom smaller. They will need to put a hole in the cups and line the bottom with a piece of coffee filter to keep the sand in the cup. Students will filter the cup ofwater from the clarifier and pour through both cups into another cup. If time is short use only one filter cup (Materials: 4 clear cups, 2 sand and gravel cups, coffee filter).
16. Ultra-violet (UV) Disinfection- During this process ultraviolet light becomes a disinfection system. The ultra-violet light kills the microorganisms that remain in the water that can cause disease. In some treatment plants chlorine is used at this stage for disinfection. Students will take a flashlight and shine light on the water for 30 seconds to imitate the UV disinfection process (Materials: flashlight).
17. Post Aeration- Post Aeration ensures an adequate amount of dissolved oxygen in the effiuent or treated water prior to release to the river. Students at this station will take a second cup and pour the treated water into a lower cup from a foot above the other cup to mimic the process of aeration. In nature water passes over rocks called riffies in the stream providing oxygen to the water. As the water is poured from one cup higher than another cup it causes agitation of the water just like a riffie does in a stream where there is water moving over rocks. Students at this station will take their water and show it to the class prior to its return to the river. (1 cup)

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--------------------------------------~~
18. River Outfall- The student at this station will return the water to the container that represents the Chattahoochee River. After treatment, the cleaned water will continue its journey from the river to the ocean.
Others can use the cleaned water downstream for drinking water, for irrigation, for industry, or it might evaporate and become rain in some other part of the world. Water is used over and over again throughout the water cycle.
WrapUp
Knowing now what it takes to have clean water for drinking and what it takes to clean wastewater so that others can use it downstream should stimulate discussion with students concerning the actions they can take at home and at school to protect water. They can conserve water, and avoid dumping harmful chemicals, and paints down a drain for example. They could w~rk on erosion areas in their yard at home or at school so that sediment doesn't end up in the river for example. Have students make a commitment for water and write it down. At the end of the week have students write about the actions they have taken to protect and conserve water.

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8 Student Copy Page
River to River Warm Up Exercise
Please write the correct order of the drinking and wastewater treatment process steps next to the corresponding number in the blank provided. 1. River Intake 2. ______________________________________ 3. ____________________________________ 4. _____________________________________
5. ___________________________________
6. ____________________________________ 7. ____________________________________ 8. ____________________________________ 9. ____________________________________ 10. __________________________________ 11. __________________________________ 12. __________________________________ 13. __________________________________ 14. __________________________________ 15. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.:.___ __ 16. __________________________________
17.-----------------
18. River Outfall

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RIVER INTAKE/ PUMPING STATION

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RIVER INTAKE/PUMPING STATION: This is the screening process to remove all large debris. The water flows by gravity from the river into underground wells before entering the pumping station. Electric pumps pump the raw water (river water before treatment) to the drinking water treatment plant reservoirs, that are the raw water storage areas, and then to the chemical house. This is where the water treatment process begins.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE
Materials: river water cup and 3 clear cups, various sized screening tools, sediment, sand, sticks, leaves, seeds, bark, small pebbles, and other debris
~ In a jar, mix sediment, sand, sticks, leaves, seeds, bark, small pebbles, and other debris in the water representative of river water.
~ Pour river water into a clear plastic cup to represent raw water coming into the water treatment process.
~ Do a physical pumping motion for 10 pumps to represent the pumping ofwater to the plant.
~ Place the largest screen over an empty clear plastic cup. Put a newspaper or paper towel under the cup before you pour the river water cup into the empty cup with the screen on it. Take any debris screened to the landfill.
~ Place a finer screen over an empty cup and pour the river through this finer screen and cup. Take any debris left on the screen to the landfill.
~ Place an even finer screen over another empty cup and repeat the screening process again. Take any debris left in the screen to the landfill.
~ Pass this cup to the next station.

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COAGULATION

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COAGULATION: The water is treated here with chemicals that kill germs, improve taste and
odor, balance acids and alkalinity, and help settle the solids in the water.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 4 small jars, cups, or canisters labeled lime, potassium permanganate, powdered carbon, alum, measuring spoons, and a plastic spoon. For the pretend chemicals, use water, and actually add the water to the cup ofwater moving through treatment.
~ Add 1 teaspoon of lime from the lime chemical dispenser for stabilizing the pH and buffering the water (lime dispenser will be water).
~ Add 1 teaspoon potassium permanganate for disinfection to kill bacteria and virus (potassium permanganate will be water).
~ Add 1 teaspoon of powdered carbon to improve taste and smell (powdered carbon will be water).
~ Add .z teaspoon of alum (actually add the real alum) to the cup and stir it through the water. Alum helps the particles stick together and form larger particles called "floc".
~ Wait several minutes and give the floc time to form. ~ Pass the cup with the added chemical to the next station.

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SEDIMENTATION

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SEDIMENTATION: The water and floc particles flow into a sedimentation basin. The "floc" settles to the bottom and is then removed from the water.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 1 clear plastic cup ~ Wait several minutes for the floc to continue attracting particles. ~ The particles will get heavy and fall to the bottom of the cup. ~ Slowly pour off the top of the cup into another cup. Continue pouring slowly, but leave some water with debris and settled floc in the bottom of the cup. ~ Take the settled debris to the landfill. ~ Pass the cup ofwater to the next station.

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SAND FILTRATION

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SAND FILTRATION: During this process, water flows through layers of sand and gravel, creating a filter. Any remaining particles are trapped during this process and settle to the bottom of the basin.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 4 clear cups, 2 filled with alternating layers of sand, gravel, and coffee filters ~ Punch several holes in the bottom of the sand and gravel cups before filling with sand and gravel. ~ Make alternating layers of gravel and sand in 2 cups starting with the largest gravel on the top with the smallest gravel and sand on the bottom. Line the bottom of the sand and gravel cups with a coffee filter. ~ Pour the water from the cup you received from the previous process into the cup with the sand and gravel layers, and then into another clear cup held beneath the sand and gravel cup. ~ Ifyou have a second sand and gravel cup, youcan repeat the filtering process. ~ The water passes through these filters removing smaller particles and cleaning the water. ~ If you have a ring stand and clamps, you can place the sand and gravel cups there, which will avoid someone having to hold the cups during the filtering process, which can take several minutes. ~ Pass the filtered cup to the next station.

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DISINFECTION

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DISINFECfiON: Chemicals are added here in small doses to protect the water as it's
transported through mains, and into homes, businesses and industry.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 3 small cups or jars labeled chlorine, fluoride, and phosphate, actual drops of Clorox if approved by teacher, dropper/pipette, gloves, protective glasses. Use water for the fluoride and phosphate.
~ Using gloves, protective glasses, and a dropper; add four drops of Clorox to the water in the cup if the teacher approves and supervises. This is for disinfection to kill bacteria and viruses for example.
~ Add 1 teaspoon of phosphate to the water for corrosion control to keep the pipes free of contaminants.
~ Add 1 teaspoon of fluoride for healthy teeth. ~ Pass the cup with the chemicals added to the next station.

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CLEAN WATER STORAGE

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CLEAN WATER STORAGE: Potable or finished water (water that has been through water
treatment) is stored in underground, or in some cases above ground, clear wells that are safe contained places to hold clean water prior to distribution to homes, schools, and businesses.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 3 clear plastic cups, 1 large container for water storage, and a marking pen ~ Fill the large container to the half mark with water. ~ Pour water from the passed station cup into the clear well. ~ Label three cups homes, schools, businesses with marking pen. ~ Filll/3 cup with clear well water and deliver to the home station. ~ Filll/3 cup with clear well water and deliver to the school station. ~ Filll/3 cup with clear well water and deliver to the business station.

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WATER DISTRIBUTION &USE

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WATER DISTRIBUTION AND USE: The Adanta water treatment plants supply 240 million gallons of finished water daily. This water is distributed to Adanta homes, schools, and businesses. People use 50-150 gallons ofwater daily to wash clothes, shower, flush toilets and wash dishes. Discuss all the ways people might use water in homes, schools, and businesses.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: cereal, toothpaste, tissue pieces, rice, dressing, sprinkles or anything that makes water look like wastewater, but be careful about adding too much color
~ Pour cereal, toothpaste, tissue pieces, dressing, vegetable oil, mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, powder, coffee, clay, sediment, soil, and anything else you have gathered to represent waste into the three cups labeled homes, schools, and businesses.
~ Do a pumping motion 10 times to represent the pumping of treated water through the system.
~ Pass these three cups to the next station.

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WASTEWATER COLLECTION &TREATMENT

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WASTEWATER COLLECfiON AND TREATMENT: The wastewater treatment process speeds up the natural process ofwater purification. In this process there are more controlled conditions where bacteria and other organisms consume the waste just like they do in a natural process. Processes consist of physical, chemical, and biological treatments. These processes are also called primary, secondary, and advanced treatment. The primary treatment involves screening, floating, and settling out contaminants. The secondary treatment involves biologically removing contaminants. The advanced treatment involves filtering and disinfection. While the wastewater treatment plant can process as much as 240 million gallons per day, on average 100 million gallons are treated daily. Discuss with students what kinds of things make up wastewater.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE: Materials: large container with a cap or lid for wastewater, 1 clear plastic cup, and a marking pen
~ Label the clear cup Headworks (place where wastewater treatment begins at the wastewater treatment plant).
~ Water from each of cups labeled homes, schools, and businesses is poured into a larger container with a lid representing wastewater arriving in the Wastewater Collection System, which takes flow to the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
~ Shake up this larger container to break up bits and pieces in the sewer system (3 or 4 shakes).
~ Pour wastewater from the larger container into the clear cup labeled Headworks. ~ Pass the Headworks cup to the next station.

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BAR .SCREENS & DUMPSTER

BAR SCREEN DUMPSTER

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BAR SCREENS AND DUMPSTER: The water goes through a bar screen that eliminates large items and debris, such as rags, sticks, and large trash and plastics. The debris is taken to the land.fill. This is a physical process.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 3 clear plastic cups and a large screening tool. Place a paper towel or newspaper on the table under cups for screening
~ Label one clear cup the Bar Screen Dumpster. ~ Label one empty cup Landfill and place nearby. ~ Place a large screen over a clear cup to screen out larger debris. ~ Pour the headworks wastewater treatment plant cup into the clear cup with the larger
screen on the top. Take the screened debris and dump the debris in the bar screen dumpster cup. ~ Deliver the debris from the bar screen dumpster cup to the land.fill. ~ Pass the screened cup ofwater to the next station.

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GRIT CHAMBER

The Urban Watershed Educators Guide

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GRIT CHAMBER: Here the water slows enough for grit and the heavy solids to settle to the bottom. Grit is removed from the chamber and buried in a landfill.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: funnel and 2 clear cups ~ Place the funnel in the clear cup to represent the grit chamber. ~ Very slowly, drip water from the passed screened cup into the funnel that is inside the clear cup. ~ Slowly pour water off the top of the screened cup into another empty cup, leaving any debris in the bottom of the cup (should be settled out in the bottom of the cup) ~ Take that debris to the landfill. ~ Pass the cup ofwater with debris removed to the next station.

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DRUM SCREEN

The Urban Watershed Educators Guide

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Georgia Project WET Supplement

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DRUM SCREEN: This finer screening eliminates smaller debris. The water goes to a drum screen where gravity holds the solids and the wheel turns; particles fall into troughs. These particles are taken to the landfill.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: small screen like a tea strainer, 1 clear plastic cup for debris and 1 clear plastic cup for screened water
~ Place a fine screen, such as a teacup strainer over the top of a clear plastic cup. ~ Pour the water from the last station through the strainer over the clear cup. ~ Debris left in the strainer should be poured in the second cup and taken to the landfill. ~ Pass the strained cup ofwater to the next station.

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. PRIMARY SEDIMENTATION
TANK

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PRIMARYSEDIMENTATIONTANK: During this process, the heavier particles sink to the bottom of the tank. Settling tanks hold the water for several hours while the heavy particles sink and form sludge. Other materials float to the surface, such as oil and grease, which are skimmed and removed. Seventy percent of all solids are removed at this point. The sludge is sent to a centrifuge and thickened, and then to the digesters to be disinfected and dewatered. The sludge (biosolids) are either taken to the landfill, recycled by burning for energy, used for fertilizer or a soil conditioner.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 1 cup labeled Digester, 2 clear cups and a spoon ~ Label one cup as the Digester. ~ Place the Digester cup in front of and between the Primary Sedimentation Tank and the Final Clarifier. ~ Let the particles settle for several minutes. ~ Use a spoon and skim any oil and grease from the top of the cup and pour the oil and grease into another cup, and take that cup to the landfill. ~ Very slowly, pour water from the cup where the water is settling into another clear cup allowing any particles that have settled to remain on the bottom. ~ Take the settled particles to the digester. ~ Take the water to the next station.

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AERATION BASIN
BPR TANKS
(Biolo9icll Pholphorus RernoQI)

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AERATION BASIN: In this secondary treatment process, some of the sludge with microorganisms is added from the clarifiers to the aeration basin. The sludge is called activated sludge, and it contains microorganisms, such as bacteria and protozoa that are now hungry and eat the remaining organic material and nutrients. Air is mixed into the basin, so that the microorganisms will eat other harmful materials. During the chemical part of this process, primary sludge is settled and the phosphorus is removed.

LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 2 cups, turkey baster, bug hats for three microorganisms, construction paper, tape or stapler, scissors, chemical dispenser filled with water
~ Two or three people will wear bug hats they have made from construction paper with a band around their head and two antennae attached that have been cut from construction paper. If students have bug glasses, they can be used too. These bugs are the microorganisms that eat the harmful material in the water.
~ Microorganisms gather at the Digester.
~ An Aeration Station student goes to the digester and brings the microorganisms to the
Aeration Basin. ~ The bugs will either make up their own munching song or use the song provided. ~ Take the cup designated for chemicals and fill it with water. ~ Squeeze air into the water using the turkey baster, being careful not to pull water up
through the baster. ~ This is a biological process. The bugs pretend to be eating frantically and they sing their
song. ~ Take the chemical dispenser filled with water and add it at this time. These chemicals
help settle any remaining solids and help with phosphorous removal. Phosphorous needs to be removed because it contributes to increased plant growth, which will lead to oxygen depletion in the water. Aquatic life depends on having enough oxygen in the water to survive. This is a biological and chemical process and is secondary treatment. ~ The bugs move with the cup to the next station.

Microorganism Song to sing while they are eating contaminants at the Aeration Basin. (To the tune of-Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Crunch, crunch, crunch and munch. Give me more more food! I really don't have time to chat. So please don't think me rude.

I'm eating up contaminants. Yummy, yummy yum! They taste delicious; Oh so good They're filling up my "Tum".

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FINAL CLARIFIER

The Urban Watershed Educators Guide

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FINAL CLARIFIER: At this process station there are large tanks with long arms that
rotate to help the scum and material that has clumped together fall to the bottom. The microorganisms that grow in the aeration tank fall to the bottom of the tank. Some of the younger microorganisms are removed and sent back to the aeration basin where they continue to eat thereby removing harmful material (organics and nutrients). Excess older microorganisms are then pumped to the Digester.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 1 clear plastic cup, 1 spoon, microorganisms from last station ~ Stir the water in the cup slowly and then let the sedimentation occur. ~ Wait a couple minutes and pour off the water on the top into another cup. ~ Take one young microorganism back to the Aeration Basin to continue eating contaminants and take the other older microorganisms to the Digester. Generally there is an effort to keep a mixed population of bugs, a balanced community of old and young bugs. This is a secondary treatment and is a biological process. ~ Take the cup to the next station.

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EFFLUENT FILTERS

The Urban Watershed Educators Guide

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EFFLUENT FILTERS: During this process, the water is filtered through sand and gravel
that cleans out any remaining small particles. The water moves through a series of steps that "scrub" the water and removes harmful particles just as it might do in nature when water percolates through the soil, sand, and rock. This is advanced water treatment.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 4 clear cups, 2 sand and gravel cups, coffee filter ~ Construct 2 cups as filters by alternating layers of rock and sand making the rock layer at the bottom smaller. ~ Put several holes in the sand and gravel cups and line with coffee filters to keep the sand in the cup. ~ Filter the cup ofwater from the clarifier and pour through both cups into another cup. This is advanced treatment. ~ Take this cup to the next station.

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UV DISINFECTION

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ULTRAVIOLET DISINFECfiON:The final treatment process in most plants is disinfection. Sometimes chemicals are used, such as chlorine that kills viruses and bacteria, which can cause disease. Other treatment plants use ultraviolet light instead of chlorine. Water passes through chambers that contain ultraviolet lamps and exposure to this light kills any remaining disease-causing virus or bacteria. Samples are taken of the water at this point to check water quality before its release to the river.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: flashlight ~ Take the flashlight and shine light on the water for 30 seconds to imitate the UV disinfection process. ~ Take the water to the next station.

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POST AERATOR

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POST AERATOR: Post aeration ensures that an adequate amount of dissolved oxygen is in
the water before its release to the river. This process mimics riffles, or water flowing over rocks in a stream.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
Materials: 1 cup ~ Pour water into the second cup by holding the cup with the water from a high position and pouring it into the empty cup in a lower position. This creates agitation of the water, such as a riffle in a stream does naturally when it flows over rocks in the stream, adding oxygen to the water. Repeat five times. ~ Take the cup to the next station.

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RIVER
OUTFALl

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RIVER OUTFALL: After treatment removes contaminants from the water, it is returned to its original water source.
LAB STATION PROCEDURE:
~ Return the water to the container that represents the Chattahoochee River.

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CITY OF ATLANTA DEPARTMENT OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT Robert J. Hunter, Commissioner DRINKING WATER FACILITY
ManMade Water Cycle:
From the rtvertoyourhorne, from your home to the rtver.
- DRINKING WATER PIPE WASTE WATER PIPE
WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY

CITY OF ATLANTA DEPARTMENT OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT Robert J. Hunter, Commissioner
DRINKING WATER FACILITY

ManMade Water Cycle:
From the river to your home,
from your home to the river.
- DRINKING WATER PIPE WASTE WATER PIPE

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Water Treatment &Wastewater Treatment Terms

Water Treatment &Wastewater Treatment Terms

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Water Treatment (Drinking Water Process)

Wastewater Treatment (Sewage Treatment Process)

Water Treatment (Drinking Water Process)

Wastewater Treatment (Sewage Treatment Process)

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Coagulation: Alum and other chemicals are added to water to form tiny sticky particles
called OflocO which attract the dirt particles.

Bar Screens: Alter out rags, sticks and other large Items.
Grtt Chamber: Slows down water so that heavy

Coagulation: Alum and other chemicals are
added to water to form tiny sticky particles
called OflocO which attract the dirt particles.

Bar Scr.na: Filter out rags, sticks and other large items.
Grtt Chamber: Slows down water so that heavy

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Sedimentation: The heavy particles (floc) solids can settle.

Sedimentation: The heavy particles (floc) solids can settle.

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settle to the bottom and clear water moves to

settle to the bottom and clear water moves to

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filtration.
Flltrltlon: The water passes through filters
that help to remove even mora smaller
particles.

Drum ScrMna: Removes plastics, debris and line particles from the wastewater
Primary Sedimentation Tenk: A primary sedimentation tank that lets smaller particles settle.

filtration .
Flltrltlon: The water passes through filters that help to remove even mora smaller particles.

Drum ScrMna: Removes plastics, debris and fine particles from the wastewater
Primary Sedlmenllltlon Tank: A primary sedimentation tank that lets smaller particles settle.

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D181nfectlon: A small amount of chlorine is

Dlalnfectlon: A small amount of chlorine is

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added to kill any bacteria or microorganisms that may be in the water. Storage: Water Is placed in a closed tank or reservoir where It flows through pipes to homes,schoois and buslneeses In the community.
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Aeration Buln: A tank that mixes air with water, to help microorganisms consume (eat) harmful matarlals.
Final Clarifier: AIIowa clumps to form with solids and settle to the bottom.
Effluent Fllt8rw: Removes any final particles and sedimentation left after secondary sedimentation treatment.
UV Dlalnfectlon: An ultraviolet light which kills disease-causing organisms.
Poet Aeration: After the W prooess, post aeration
ensures that an adequate amount of dissolved oxygen Is in the eflluant prior to discharge into the river.

added to kill any bacteria or microorganisms that may be In the water.
Storage: Water Is placed in a closed tank or reservOir where it flows through pipes to hornes,schools and businesses In the community.

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Aeration Baaln: A tank that mixes air with water, to help microorganisms consume (eat) harmful materials.
Final Clarttler: Allows clumps to form with solids and settle to the bottom.
Etftuent Fllt8rw: Removes any final particles and sedimentation left after secondary sedimentation treatment.
UV Dlalnfectlon: An ultraviolet light which kills d~uslng organisms.
Poet Aeration: After the UV process, post aeration ensures that an adequate amount of dissolved oxygen Is in the eflluant prior to discharge Into the river.

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Helpful Phone Numbers

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Department of Watershed Management
Helpful Phone Numbers

Drinking Water - Customer Services 404-658-6500
Sewer Problems 404-634-0751
Erosion Control 404-330-6990

Wastewater Treatment Facilities A.M. Clayton WAC 404-351-6120
Utoy Creek WAC
404-696-7000
South River WAC 404-350-61 ()()

Drinking Water - Customer Services 404-658-6500
Sewer Problems 404-634-0751
Erosion Control 404-330-6990

Wastewater Treatment Facilities A.M. Clayton WAC 404-351-6120
Utoy Creek WAC
404-696-7000
South River WAC 404-350-61 ()()

CLEAN WA(.-ER ATLANTA
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CLEAN W~lER ATLANTA
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www.cleanwateratlanta.org

Student Assessment Copy Page

DRINKING WATER FACILITY

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River To River Process MatchingTest
*Write the number located in parenthesis next to each process underneath the matching process graphic located on the Man Made Water Cycle: From the river to your home, from your home to your river. (Teachers- see Man Made Water Cycle graphic for correct answers)
Primary Sedimentation Tank (1) UV Disinfection (2) River Intake/Pumping Station (3) Clean Water Storage (4) Bar Screen & Dumpster (5) Sand Filtration (6) Wastewater (Sewage) (7) Drinking Water (8) Coagulation (9) Effluent Filters (10) Grit Chamber (11) Sedimentation (12) Post Aerator (13) Final Clarifier (14) Drum Screen (15) Disinfection (16) Aeration Basin (17)

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The Ghosts ofWater Past

Summary
The history of Atlanta's wastewater system is the subject for this play with
apologies to Charles Dickens. It has been adapted from the booklet titled, Paying
for the Cost ofGrowth by Stuart Galishoff. It is published by the Public Works
Historical Society and chronicles the development ofAtlanta's drainage and sewer
systems in the late 1800's.

Grade Level: Upper Elementary, Middle School
Subject Areas: English, Music, Physical Education
Duration:
Preparation/Rehearsal time: 50
minutes
Activity time: 30 minutes
Setting: classroom, stage, outdoor amphitheater
Skills: Organizing, Interpreting, Acting, Presenting
Charting the Course: Act out scenes that trace the importance of sewer systems and water treatment plants through history
Vocabulary: honey wagon, night soil, Rochdale Pail, sewer rate, storage tunnel, Reconstruction, Depression, culverts, privy, sanitary sewer, combined sewer overflow, combined sewer system

Objectives
Students will: ~ Understand the evolution ofAtlanta's sewer system and water treatment plants. ~ Understand the problems with Atlanta's sewer system and discuss possible solutions.
Assessments
~ Give students a question from the post-test - 7 ~ Ask students to write a mock newspaper review of the play. They should in-
clude the descriptions of sewers, storm drains, and water treatment shared by the Ghost ofWater Past and the Ghost ofWater Present. (Rubric) ~ Ask students to write a mock interview with Mayor Shirley Franklin about current problems with Atlanta's sewer system, and possible solutions for those problems. (Rubric)
Materials
~ Signs that say "Atlanta Bound" ~ Suitcases ~ Books and notebooks for homework ~ Buckets ~ Paul Simon music (or similar sounds) ~ Pretend horse and carriage ~ Wagon ~ Artificial flower ~ Paper confetti ~ Water hose

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reduced by the Depression of1873. As a result of these financial downfalls, long-term wastewater solutions that required large oudays of money and an increase in government involvement were not an option. In fact, Adanta's sanitation efforts during this period were largely influenced by the invasion of disease.

Mouth of Butler Street Sewer; Circa 1909 (Paying for the Cost of Growth; 1994)
Background
The Fascinating History ofAdanta's Wastewater System Mter the Civil War, Adanta kept its streets dry by diverting stormwater into nearby brooks and creeks. However, it was soon discovered that these open watercourses impeded construction and transportation in the city. This problem was resolved by enclosing the waterways in structures with sidewalls consisting of dry masonry construction and the tops and bottoms were made of slabs of stone. These crudely fashioned, irregularly shaped culverts formed Adanta's first sewers. They were largely used to service the city's business area.
As more and more ofAdanta's population began to install such luxury items as sinks, bathtubs, and flush toilets, the stormwater sewers became conduits for household drainage as well. As a result, the city's stormwater drains were transformed into combined sewers. Unfortunately, the original sewers had not been designed for the removal of human waste. Foul smells and diseases such as typhoid fever began to plague neighborhoods as the sewers became clogged with human feces and other matter. While many ofAdanta's communities suffered with the spread of intestinal diseases, its black population - those who resided along the city's streams -was particularly hard hit.
Unlike larger U.S. cities that faced major environmental and public health problems, Adanta continued to resolve its problems by using short-term approaches. This was partially due to the debt the city had accumulated during Reconstruction. City revenues were further

Toward the end of the nineteenth century, sewer construction continued. In 1873, as a result of a cholera scare, the Adanta Common Council established the Committee of Sewers and Drains. Soon after this, however, new sewer construction was halted due to a nationwide depression. Over the next two years, only those repairs that were considered essential were made.
In 1875, the municipal waterworks were completed and sewer construction resumed. Two years later, the City Council appointed a Sanitary Commission to study drainage and human waste disposal. The Commission was composed of four physicians and four laymen. However the two physicians -Dr. Charles Rauschenberg and Dr. W.T. Goldsmith- dominated the proceedings. Dr. Rauschenberg advocated the expansion and modernization ofAdanta's sewer system. He favored the use ofwater-carriage sewerage, and believed that the municipal water supply was large enough to meet all of the city's household and sanitary needs. His plan also included the use of several small streams that originated in the city limits as intermediate sewage receptacles.
While Dr. Goldsmith agreed that the water-carriage system was a superior method ofwaste disposal, he did not believe that Adanta's water supply was abundant enough to support it. Instead, he recommended the Rochdale Pail System that involved the removal of human waste from homes by manual and horse labor. The waste would later be sold to farmers for fertilizer.
Mter much debate, the Sanitary Commission rejected Rauschenberg's proposal and adopted Goldsmith's plan for the central business district (about one fourth of the city's population). Residents outside of this area were encouraged to use their privy contents as garden fertilizer. Dr. Rauschenberg continued to advocate the gradual introduction of a water-carriage system that

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piped water for the municipal waterworks into each house and connected household toilets to sewers. He warned that the city needed to look to the future for a long-term solution to its wastewater problems instead of trying to save money in the short run.
In 1879, the City Council tried to alleviate some of the growing waste problems by enacting a comprehensive sanitary ordinance. The ordinance, which was supported by municipal appropriation and a tax on improved lots in the sanitary district, provided garbage disposal, regular inspection and cleaning of privies (outhouses). lt also forbade construction of new privy vaults.
During the following year, the Council took further steps to regulate wastewater problems. A new ordinance forbade the use of cesspools and privy vaults. Additionally, homeowners were required to adopt a modified version ofthe Rochdale Plan that promoted the
use of coal ashes or dry earth as a disinfectant in the privy
pails. Even though this method was an improvement over past practices, the Board ofHealth found it to be unsatisfactory. Despite notices and fines, some residents did not follow procedures. Furthermore, the "night soil" or waste leaked from the wagons that transported it. The wagons were often referred to as "honey wagons" because of the flies they attracted and leakage from these vehicles affected pedestrian traffic as well.
At this time, Atlanta's sewer system consisted of only eight miles oflarge stone and masonry and small pipe sewers varying from twelve inches to six feet in diameter. One year later, in 1881, a severe water shortage and public complaints led to changes in the city's charter. After establishing a Board of Commissioners of Streets and Sewers, the State Legislature decided that property owners residing along the line of the proposed sewer pay the cost of street improvements. The General Council passed an ordinance without input from the homeowners. Many of the latter group challenged the assessments
of their property. Accusations of personal gain by
commission members also ensued. As a result of these events, the legislature abolished the Board in 1885 and established a new municipal office, the Commissioner of Public Works. In order to appease property owners, they

reduced expenditures on street improvements and sewers
by more than fifty percent from 1885-1887.
Among those who voiced their concerns about the conditions of the city's sewerage and streets, was Adanta's Board of Health. In addition to the sewage outfall in residential areas, garbage, trash, slaughterhouse wastes, and horse manure littered the streets. The Board feared epidemic diseases, but could do litde more than make recommendations until 1881. Mter a smallpox scare, the Board ofHealth was
reorganized and its powers were increased. It was given
the power to oversee sanitary conditions in the city. This included garbage and human waste disposal, which had previously been enforced by the police department. By 1883, the Board of Health was responsible for the sanitation of about one third of the city.
By 1885, the sanitary district had grown to include half the area of the city, including the watershed for the municipal waterworks, the central business district, and affiuent residential neighborhoods. Further expansion of Adanta's sewer system was delayed by the city's failure to coordinate its water and sewer services. Most buildings were near sewers, but did not have water or had water, but no sewer connections. Furthermore, the sewers were often poorly designed. Sanitary sewers (sewers that carried domestic or industrial waste, not stormwater) were built instead of combined sewers (sewers that carried waste and stormwater) in areas with streams that were too large and too cosdy to enclose. These problems often resulted in sewage back up into densely populated neighborhoods.
Growing concerns, combined with the rapid growth of the city, led to major improvements in sanitation at the end of the century. Mter a yellow fever scare in 1888, the sanitary districts were expanded. Expansion of the sanitary department soon followed. By the late 1890's, the department employed over two hundred people and had a budget of more than $100,000. In addition to these changes, the Board ofHealth improved the "night soil" service. Watertight wagons and airtight barrels that were filled from the privy boxes in back yards instead of in the streets, resulted in more sanitary conditions and less complaints.

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However, residents soon found a new unsanitary source to complain about- the garbage dumps where Atlanta disposed of the "night soil" and other solid waste. As the city's population grew, so did the amount of"night soil," garbage, and other solid waste it generated. Since all of this refuse was disposed of in the same place, Atlanta's city dump soon became smelly, unsightly breeding grounds for rodents and insects. Needless to say, no community wanted such an eyesore located next to them. In some cases, local residents went to court to make sure that the dump was placed elsewhere. In 1884, the dump was relocated to a fifty acre tract of land purchased from Fulton County. While this solution helped placate the dissatisfied citizens, it did not resolve the health risks involved with the waste disposal process.
The Board ofHealth renewed their pleas for the construction of a modern sewer system, citing the many problems that could have been alleviated by a well thought out plan during the current system's initial inception. In the meantime, the crudely fashioned system of masonry, stone, and brick continued to hold back filth and emit offensive smells. Ofparticular concern was the Lloyd Street sewer. Believed to be the first municipal sewer, it not only drained very close to the municipal water supply, but it also ended on the property of a Jewish orphanage.
Despite Atlanta's unsanitary conditions, the city fared
better than most. As other southern cities were ravaged
by disease, Atlanta became a mecca for refugees from disease-ridden municipalities. Finally, in order to increase its economic standing and decrease the threat of disease, the city hired Boston engineer, Ernest W . Bowditch. In 1886, Mr. Bowditch submitted a plan recommending the use of separate and combined sewers. This plan was soon buried because the General Council felt it was too costly. Three years later, Rudolph Hering, a prominent New York sanitary engineer was hired.
Hering recommended the expansion of sewer trunk lines, that discharge sewage into watercourses beyond the city limits, and the construction of combined sewers. In places where enclosing watercourses were too costly, he proposed small sanitary sewers to remove household waste. He also suggested that sewage treatment plants

be built in the future. Hering's recommendations guided the development ofAtlanta's sewer system for the next thirty years.
At the time Hering submitted his proposal, the need for piped in water was growing. Atlanta residents, hotel and restaurant owners added sinks, tubs, flush toilets, and other water-using equipment to their properties. These changes, along with the development ofthe central business district, put extra pressure on the sewer system. In spite of the additional wastewater burden, Hering advocated the continued use ofthe combined sewer system in most areas. This system carried all waste through one conduit. The other popular and more expensive system used in U.S. cities involved the collection of household wastewater and stormwater in two separate pipes. He chose the least expensive method and tried to maintain as much of the existing system as possible.
Working in conjunction with city engineer, Robert M. Clayton, Hering began to implement his plan. However, they did not anticipate Atlanta's rapid growth. Between 1890 and 1910, the city's population increased from 65,533 to 154,839, a 137 percent increase. The city also more than doubled in size as surrounding towns such as West End and Edgewood (Dekalb County) and areas such as Piedmont Park were incorporated. Unfortunately, these annexed areas did not have sewer and water service. The cost to run lines to them was very expensive.
In addition to the city's growth spurt, the engineers were challenged by the topography of Atlanta. The many hills, ridges, and valleys on which the city was built affected the water flow to local watercourses. As a result, sewage could not be purified by dilution into a large waterway such as a lake, river, or ocean. Faced with these facts and mounting complaints from residents, the General Council Committee on Sewers and Drains asked Rudolph Hering to reassess the city's sewerage needs. Hering's proposal to partially purifY the wastewater was soon put aside in order to fund the extension of the trunk lines away from populated areas. Thanks to a bond issue in 1903, much of the necessary work was completed. However, these improvements by no means resolved all of the city's sewage problems.

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In 1908, the Adanta Chamber of Commerce issued a report disclosing that almost half of all homes did not have sewer connections. Instead, these residents relied on surface privies that resulted in raw sewage in area streams, bad odors, flies, and mosquitoes. Of even greater concern was the fact that Adanta's death rate exceeded the national average by forty-seven percent. The report recommended that the city follow through on Hering's proposal to purify sewage. The Atlanta Constitution furthered the cause by helping to educate the public about the city's sanitary problems. According to its statistics, over two-fifths ofAdanta's homes had no sewerage and about one third had no water. Furthermore, lack of sewer service was negatively affecting property values in some areas.

Loyd Street Sewer Outfall: Circa 1909 (Paying for the Cost of Growth; 1994)
What's Happening With Adanta's Wastewater System Today

After the Adanta Constitution hired an Adanta engineer whose report cited more disturbing problems, the city once again turned to Rudolph Hering for help. His recommendations for an appropriate method of sewage treatment were adopted in a bond issue to voters in 1910. Finally, Adanta had the funds for its first sewage treatment plants. In fact, it was the first large city in the United States to use the latest technology developed for this purpose. Known as the Imhoff tank, this equipment was considered to be the most efficient means of sewage purification ofits time.
By the end of 1916, Adanta had three sewage treatment plants operating at peak capacity. As a result of the 1910 bond issue, public water service was expanded and more homeowners were able to connect to the municipal sewer system. Once wells and privies were abandoned, public health improved.
By 1917, Atlanta had three hundred and twenty three miles of combined sewers that .carried both wastewater and stormwater from homes and businesses. This system continued to be utilized until the mid 1900's. While the combined sewer system worked well under dry conditions, sewage often discharged into local creeks during rainfall. As Adanta continued to expand, this overflow problem grew worse. Finally, after WWI, Adanta began building separate sewer lines. One line carried wastewater to treatment facilities, while a second pipe carried runoff water to streams.

Atlanta's Wastewater Treatment Facility Today: http://apps.atlantaga.gov/citydir/water/background.htrn
Today, Adanta has more than 2,000 miles of sewer lines. In an effort to meet higher regulatory standards, Adanta's facilities - four treatment plants and fourteen pump stations - are state of the art. However, despite these improvements, there is still more work to be done. The city's water system is almost 100 years old. In addition, approximately 19-square miles ofAdanta, including downtown, is still served by a combined sewer system. When the weather is dry, wastewater from homes, schools, and businesses travels through these sewers to water reclamation centers for treatment. Eventually, this treated water is discharged into a waterway. When it rains, however, stormwater flows into the combined sewers and travels to the water reclamation centers. To prevent the centers from flooding, the combined flow is redirected to a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) treatment facility. This facility

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treats the combined flows and then releases the water into a river or stream. Unfortunately, during heavy rains, the water flow can exceed the capacity of the CSO facility.
After completing a comprehensive assessment of the CSO discharge and its treatment facilities, Adanta initiated a major program to modernize its wastewater infrastructure system. Under a federal court order resulting from a lawsuit, the city now has until mid 2007 to bring all discharges from CSOs into compliance with federal and State water quality laws. As the result of a second court order, Adanta must also eliminate sewage overflow from the city's separated sewers (85% of the total system) by 2014.
In order to achieve these goals, Adanta has developed a plan that has been approved by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). The multibillion dollar plan includes the separation of about 85 miles of the city's 330 miles ofcombined sewers. The plan entails constructing new sanitary or storm sewers so that wastewater and stormwater can be conveyed in separate pipes. The wastewater will be piped to a treatment plant and then discharged into a nearby waterway. The stormwater will be released into local streams or treated at CSO facilities before being discharged.
In addition to the combined sewer separation project, Adanta's new plan includes the construction of two tunnels that will be used to capture and store the combined sewer overflows caused by heavy rainfall. Excavated from rock similar to that of Stone Mountain, the tunnels will hold the overflow until the rainfall ends. Then, the water will be conveyed to an enhanced CSO treatment plant before being released to a local waterway.

Procedure
WarmUp
Provide students with a historic overview ofpast solutions to wastewater and sewerage.
Do you see any similarities or differences between what happened in the past and what is happening today? Discuss what happened in the past to resolve water quality issues and what is happening today.
The Ghosts OfWater Past
(A play about the history ofAdanta's Wastewater)
Select several students (15-20 students) that would like to participate in this play where each student has an acting part. Assign each student a part for each character in the play.
Additional students can be people moving to Adanta, townspeople etc. Hand out the lines that the student needs to memorize and act out. Gather the materials necessary for the props in the play. Practice going through the entire play with the students and make sure each knows the timing of his/her part. Act out the play for an audience as the final step. The students who created this play created the script on the computer and just rolled the lines as the students read and performed them. The play was adapted by Mrs. Archibald's 4th grade Challenge Class at Centennial Place Elementary in Adanta, Georgia in early 2004. (Those students are Christen Bailey, Diamond Bragg, Ethan Bright, Eva Cooke, Bryan Neely, Chrystalia Pines, Brianna Fairley, Michael Hall, Arantza Hernandez, Allie Melton, Rayshawn Ware and Stephen Weatherly.)

Adanta's CSO Improvement Plan will require many resources, including tax increases, and lots of patience from city residents living in the targeted areas. However, once the results of the plan have been realized, all Georgians, and even those beyond the State's boundaries, will benefit. Adanta and its downstream neighbors will have cleaner, safer water and an improved quality of life.

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Child 3 - (Mocking) You better take care of it. Shoot, we never get to have any fun.

Child 1 -There's nothing to do! Come on, we'll sit over here and finish our homework. (Have some books around for them to pick up)

The children are sitting on the ground and theyfall asleep.
While they are sleeping, the "Ghosts ofWater Past" enter the
area and the children wake up.

Child 2 -Who are you?

Cathy Archibald Challenge Teacher Centennial Place Elementary
The Activity Act I
Setting: A warm summer day, somewhere in an Atlanta backyard.
Act 1 The children are playing with the water hose and
having a good time. A student's Mother comes out and tells the children that they are wasting water again! The kids complain that they never get to have anyfun and the Mother again scolds them for wasting water as she goes back into the house.
Child 1 - I got you that time, you are soaked!

Ghost ofWater Past ("Splash") -We are the Ghosts ofWater Past but you can call me, Splash. These are my friends, Sprinkle and Puddles. We have come to tell you about our precious water in Atlanta.
Child 2 - I think I need to go do my homework.
Ghost ofWater Past ("Splash") -Yeah, right! You're still wet behind the ears so you just settle in and listen. My story will make waves. (Clears throat.) Mter the Civil War the streets in Atlanta were kept dry by directing the storm water to the brooks and creeks. This didn't work out so the waterways were enclosed and became Atlanta's first sewers.
Child 3- I thought sewers were supposed to take away bath water and toilet water and stuff like that.

Child 2- You just wait and see how wet you are going to be in a few minutes.
Enter Mother. Mother- What are you kids doing?
Child 1 & 3- Aw, Mom, we're just having some fun with the water hose.
Mother- Are you wasting water again? You do that all the time! How many times have I told you that water is precious and you better take care of it! Mother goes back into the house.

Ghost ofWater Past ("Splash") -At that time, sinks, bathtubs and flush toilets were luxury items and few people had them. But as more people were able to afford indoor plumbing, the storm sewers became conduits, which are like pipes for household waste and rainwater. These types of sewers became known as combined sewers. The smell was awful and diseases also plagued the city.
Child 2 - Splash, you mean the rainwater and toilet water were mixed together and floated down the streams?
Ghost ofWater Past (Splash)- You got it! Many of Atlanta's communities suffered with intestinal diseases but the black population that lived along the cities'

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streams were especially hard hit. The city didn't have much money because they owed a lot trying to rebuild the city after the war during the Reconstruction. Because of the diseases the Atlanta Common Council established the Committee of Sewers and Drains.
Child 1 - Did they pass out clothespins for your nose? Who-we!! I bet it smelled like a skunk!
Ghost ofWater Past ("Sprinkle") - Clothespins would have been a good idea but they had two other ideas for solving the problems. One was to improve the sewers with a water-carriage system. This was Dr. Rauschenberg's idea but was more expensive. The other idea was less expensive and required that people come to your home and remove the human waste and take it away by horse and wagon. This was called the Rochdale Pail System and it was Dr. Goldsmith's idea. Dr. Rauschenberg told them that they better think of a long-term idea but they went with Dr. Goldsmith's idea because it was cheaper.
Child 3 - So horses pulled wagons that went to people's houses and removed the human waste? Man, I wouldn't want THAT job! Several students enter with a pretend horse and carriage andpretend to be making stops at each house to pick up the waste with a pail and dump it into the wagon. The carriage continues across the stage to the other
side and exits oblivious ofthe actors. They are constantly
swatting atpretendflies.
Child 1 & 3 - Kids are holding orfanning their noses, etc. Yeah, man, me either!
Ghost ofWater Past ("Sprinkle") - Somebody had to do it. They called the wagons "honey_wagons" because they attracted flies but they weren't filled with honey. They were filled with human waste, also referred to as "night soil," which leaked out onto the streets. What a mess! There were also big problems trying to figure out who was going to pay for this. There were other problems, too. In addition to the sewage, garbage, trash, slaughterhouse waste and horse manure lined the streets. In 1881, there was a smallpox scare and Atlanta's Board of Health was working to fix the problems.

Child 2- I am glad I didn't live at that time, Sprinkle.
Ghost ofWater Past ("Puddles") - It wasn't pleasant, money was a problem, the garbage dumps where they put the "night soil" was a problem not only because of the smell and the filth, but because of the rats.
Child 3 - Puddles, didn't the population in Atlanta really increase around this time between 1890 and 1910? Couldn't you say we had a "flood of people?"
Ghost ofWater Past ("Puddles") -You are absolutely right, my dear. The population increased 137%! It was in 1910 that Atlanta homes were being hooked up to the combined sewers. By 1916 Atlanta had 3 sewage treatment plants. Mter World War I, Atlanta began to build separate sewer lines. JD-20 students move across the stage carrying suitcases and signs that say "Atlanta Bound".
Child 1 -What happened next, Puddles?
Ghost ofWater Past ("Puddles") -Well, my time with you is coming to a close and ifI stay I will really be in hot water. Wait for the next visitor, they will be here soon and help you get your feet wet. As Paul Simon would say, I need to go "slip-sliding away." Could include music or actually sing the lyrics
Children -Who's Paul Simon?
Ghost ofWater Past- Oh, never mind, you just wait for the next visitor.
Act II
Setting- Same backyard
Act II The children are discussing what has just hap-
pened to them with the ghost trio. While they are talking another ghost appears just behind them. (NOTE: The ghost named Shirley will wear a large artificial flower on her blouse.)
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'')- Hi kids; hope everything is going well for you.

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Child 4- Who are you?
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley")- I am the ghost of water present but you can call me Shirley. Did you know that Atlanta has approximately 2,000 miles of sewer pipes?

learning time, people. LEARN! Thank you, moving right along...
Child 6- Hey Shirley, I know that Atlanta's water collection system is almost 100 years old.

Child 5- Get out ofhere! You can't be serious?
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley")- Man, I'm as serious as a flood! Okay, I'm going but you're missing some good information.

Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'')- You are so right! About 19 square miles of downtown Atlanta is still served by a combined sewer system and this is just a small portion of the City. When it rains, we've got problems throughout the city, even in the separated areas.

Child 6- No, come back. We were just kidding, it's an express10n.
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'')- Any-who ...the sewer system collects and treats over 300 million gallons ofwastewater each day.
Child 5 -That's a lot ofwater, not to mention flushes.
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'')- Atlanta gets its water from the Chattahoochee River. We have 3 plants that process our drinking water.
Child 4- Well, where are they?

Child 6 -Yeah, big smelly problems in some places. If Atlanta doesn't solve its problems soon, there could be another lawsuit filed against it!
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'') -Wow, you guys are pretty sharp. Because of a lawsuit the city now has unti12007 to bring all the water discharges from the Combined Sewer Overflow treatment facility called the CSO into compliance with federal and state water quality laws. By 2014 Atlanta must also eliminate sewage overflow from the city's separated sewers.
Child 7- What are we gonna' do, Shirley? We need a plan!

Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'') -They are Hemphill, Chattahoochee, and Atlanta Fulton County treatment plants. The first two plants supply about 75% of Atlanta's water. Chemicals are added to the water to clean it. The fluoride that is added helps keep your teeth from getting cavities.
Child 5- Does my dentist know this?
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley")- You bet they know it. As a matter offact, Atlanta facilities, which are 4 treatment plants and 14 pump stations, are state ofthe art.
Children 4, 5, and 6 - (In a chorus) Pump it up, pump it up, and pump it up!
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'')- Okay, I know this rap, pop stuff is the thing right now, but this is

Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'') -Well of course Atlanta has an approved plan! You can thank Atlanta's mayor for that. (Wink) This multi-billion dollar plan includes the separation of about 85 miles of the city's 330 miles of combined sewers. They will build new storm or sanitary sewers so that wastewater and storm water can be put into separate pipes.
Child 7- Where will the water go then?
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'') -The wastewater will go into a treatment plant and the storm water will be released into local streams or treated at the CSO facilities before being released.
Child 8- Hey, that sounds good!

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Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley")- I'm not done yet! The new plan also includes construction of two tunnels. Two tunnels will be used to capture and store the combined sewer overflows when it rains really hard. The tunnels will be drilled from rock just like the rock on Stone Mountain. Now, that really rocks, wouldn't you say?
Child 8- You know, that sounds like it is gonna' cost big bucks!
Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley")- You've got that right. The plan will need many resources, including water and sewer rate increases and lots of patience from city residents.

Children run around with buckets and try to catch the rain! One child runs toward the audience trying to catch
the rain and accidentally slips and splashes their bucket of
water--which is partiallyfilled with paper confetti- on someone in the audience. (In the background are the sounds
ofa rainstorm.)
Resource Payingfor the Cost ofGrowth, the Environmental
Engineering Debate in Atlanta. 1877-1914. Stuart Galishoff. Professor of History. Georgia State University.

Child 9- You know something, Shirley? This sounds like it will be good for everybody, not just in Adanta.

Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley")- You're right, my friend. Adanta and its downstream neighbors will have cleaner, safer water. You know, rolling, rolling, rolling on the river.

All the children- Thank you, Tina, but that's old school.

Child 9 - How about, Don't go chasing waterfalls. Rain on me ...

Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'') -Well, thank you TLC and Ashanti but that's too new school for me!

Child 10- Hey, Shirley? You've taught us a lot about water. I know even more cool stuff My teacher said that of all the water on earth that 97% of it is salt water. 2% of our fresh water is frozen in glaciers. You know what that means?

Ghost ofWater Present ("Shirley'')- You bet I do! Only 1 % of our water is fresh usable water. Can you believe it? Our water is a precious resource so take good care of it.

Child 10- Hey, you guys, it's starting to rain, let's get some buckets and catch it and save it!

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The Ghosts ofWater Past Rubric for Assessment
Assessment 2: Ask students to write a mock newspaper review of the play. They should include the descriptions of sewers, storm drains, and water treatment shared by the Ghost ofWater Past and the Ghost ofWater Present.

Category

4

3

2

1

Organization

Information is very organized in a well constructed review. Each paragraph contains related ideas and the paragraphs are organized into a logical sequence.

Information is organized in a well-constructed review. Each paragraph is mostly constructed of related ideas, and paragraph order is logical for the most part.

The review is not well constructed. The order ofparagraphs is illogical, and some paragraphs may contain unrelated ideas.

The information appears to be disorganized. Each paragraph is constructed of unrelated ideas, and paragraphs are not in a logical order.

Creativity

The mock review is written creatively and in the style of a newspaper reVIew.

The review is fairly creative and the style is similar to that of a newspaper review.

The review is not very creative OR it is not written in the style of a newspaper review.

The review is unimaginative and the writing style does not suite a newspaper review.

Description Comprehensio~

Student clearly described the sewers, storm drains, and water treatment methods from tl1e play.
Student is able to clearly describe the changes that have occurred in Atlanta's sewer system and water treatment plants.

Student described the sewers, storm drains, and water treatment methods from the play fairly well.

Student partially described the sewers, storm drains, and water treatment methods from the play.

Student is aware of the changes that have occurred in Atlanta's sewer system and water treatment plants.

Student does not completely understand the changes that have occurred in Atlanta's sewer system and water treatment plants.

Student did not describe the sewers, storm drains, and water treatment methods from the play.
Student does not understand the changes that have occurred in Atlanta's sewer system and water treatment plants.

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The Ghosts ofWater Past Rubric for Assessment
Assessment 3: Ask students to write a mock interview with Mayor Shirley Franklin about current problems with Atlanta's sewer system and possible solutions for those problems.

Category

4

3

2

Organization

Qyestions are very organized in a well constructed interview. The order of the questions makes sense, and related questions are grouped together. Foreseen answers to one question lead into the next.

Qyestions are organized in a well constructed interview. Most of the questions are ordered logically and are written well.

Qyestions are organized, but the interview is not well constructed. Some questions are poorly written or do not relate to the topic.

Creativity

The interview questions are insightful and reflect a clear understanding ofAtlanta's sewer problems.

The interview questions are reasonable and it is apparent that the interviewer understands Atlanta's sewer problems.

The interview questions are poor OR the interviewer does not understand the problems with Atlanta's sewers.

Brainstorming

Student presents several real problems with the sewers and several conceivable solutions for those problems.

Student presents some true problems with the sewers and some solutions for those problems.

Student presents problems with the sewers that do not exist OR student does not include potential solutions.

Accuracy of Facts

All supportive facts are reported accurately.

Almost all supportive facts are reported accurately.

Most supportive facts are reported accurately.

1
The questions appear to be disorganized. Most are unrelated to each other, off-topic, or ordered illogically.
The interview questions are very poor AND the interviewer does not understand Atlanta's sewer problems.
Student does not present any problems with the sewers or solutions for the city in the interview.
No facts are reported or most are inaccurately reported.

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WalkThe Talk For Water
Taking Action At Home And At School

Grade: Upper Elementary, Middle School
Subject Areas: Science, Health, Language Arts, Math
Duration: Extended projects to be done throughout the month.
Setting: Home and school Skills: Organizing, Application, Interpreting, Comprehending
Charting the Course: lbis is a culminating activity to provide action steps coming from knowledge gained in the previous activities.
Vocabulary: conservation, debris, rain barrel, rain garden, tolerant plant, toxic, water audit, water meter, storm drain stencil, biodegradable

Summary
Students will take actions at home and at school that conserve water and protect the quality ofwater through a water audit, knowing how to read a water meter, replacing household hazardous waste with less toxic products, storm drain stenciling and curb markers, and through learning about rain gardens and rain barrels.
Objectives
Students will: ~ Conduct a family water audit and calculate water usage. ~ Learn to read a water meter to assess water usage. ~ Understand the relationship between water use and water cost. ~ Understand the effect of toxic house cleaners in the water cycle. ~ Learn how to do a storm drain stenciling or curb marker project to protect water in streams and rivers. ~ Understand how to construct a rain barrel to reduce stormwater runoff.
Assessments
~ Ask students to complete the water audit and create a water bill for someone in the class.
~ Research the current cost per CCF ofwater and multiply that times the total water usage computed on the water audit.
~ Ask students to complete the water meter student page. ~ Ask students to develop a label for the household cleanser that discusses the
effect of toxic cleansers on the water cycle. ~ Ask students to write a paragraph on how stenciling storm drains can protect
water in streams in rivers. ~ Write a "how-to" pamphlet on the construction of rain barrels and how they
reduce stormwater runoff.
Water Audit Materials
~ Copy of Georgia DNR Water Audit for each student ~ 1 Gallon jug ofwater

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Background
The average person in the United States uses approximately 8G-100 gallons ofwater per day with the largest use being the toilet followed by showers and baths (Water Science for Schools 2005)! Before students can change their behavior, they need to know how much water they are using and how they are using it. Changing basic behaviors can reduce water usage. The following is a list of suggestions for reducing the amount ofwater used at home:
~ Tum off the faucet when you brush your teeth, wash your hands, or do the dishes. ~ Don't flush the toilet unnecessarily. Throw tissues and other trash in the wastebasket. ~ Tum off the hose and/or use a nozzle that automatically cuts offwhen you don't hold it down. ~ Take shorter showers. ~ Fix dripping faucets and running toilets. ~ Water your garden only when it needs it- once or twice a week. ~ Only wash full loads of laundry and dishes. ~ Make sure that your lawn sprinklers don't spray onto sidewalks, streets, or driveways.
The water audit allows the students to calculate their water usage at home so they can discover areas for improvement.
Procedure
Hold up the gallon ofwater to give the students a visual representation of one gallon ofwater. Then ask them to think about how many gallons ofwater a day they think their family uses and write that amount down. Give them a clue by telling them that each time they flush the toilet it takes at least 5 gallons ofwater. Brainstorm a list with the class of all the different ways they use water at home: for example, baths, dishwashers, toilets, lawn watering, showers, and washing machines. Explain that they will be conducting a water audit and determining the amount ofwater their family uses throughout the week. Once they have calculated how much water their family uses, have them fill in ways they can reduce the amount ofwater used at the end of the worksheet and return the form to class for discussion.
Sources
Water Science for Schools. 18 March 2004. U.S. Geological Survey. 29 March 2005 <http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/ qahome.html>.
Water Conservation Education. South Florida Water Management District. 29 March 2005 < http://www.sfwmd. gov/curre/education.htrnl>.

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Student Copy Page

Water Conservation Audit for Georgia
How much water does YOURfamily use?

Directions: Ask your family to help you answer these questions to find out how much water your family uses.

1. Do you live in a... ? (check one)

- - - house

___ apartment/condo

2. How many people live in your home including you?

- - - mobile home

Circle one: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 more than 10

3. How old are the children in your home?

4. Check your water bill (hint- ask your parents to call the water department if your water bill does not show water use in gallons). Find out how many gallons of water were used in your home during the last billing period and place that amount in the square below:
Dgallons
5. How many days were there in that billing period?
L.days

Water Use Outside Your Home

6. How big is your yard compared to the other yards on your street? (check one)

___ larger

___ the same

- - - smaller

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7. What type of plants do you have? (check all that apply)

___ grass

___ ground cover

___ flowers

___ shrubs

___ trees

___ vegetable garden

8. How much water did you use outside from April to October last year? Estimate it by answering the questions below.

a. How many minutes do you water your lawn each day you water it?

0

number of watering minutes per day (total number of minutes each hose or sprinkler is run every watering day)

b. How many days per week do you water your lawn?

. . _____Inumber ofwatering days per week (one to seven)

Water Use Inside Your Home

9. Dishwasher (answer only if you have one)

a. How many times per week is the dishwasher run? _ _ __

b. How full is the dishwasher usually loaded?

___ full

_ _ half full

___ less than half full

10. Washing machine (answer only ifyou have one)

a. How many loads per week are usually washed? _ __

b. How full is the washing machine usually loaded?

_ _ full

_ _ half full

___ less than half full

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c. Is the setting on the washer set correctly? (For example, is it set for a small load when washing a small load?)

___ always

___ never

___ sometimes

11. Count them! How many of each of the following do you have in your home?

___ sinks

___ showers

___ bathtubs

_ _ toilets

12. How many showers per week are taken in your home? Do the Math!

___ #of family members x ___ #of showers/member per day x ___ #of days/week=

____ Total# of showers per week

13. How many baths per week are taken in your home? Do the Math!

___ #of family members x ___ #of baths/member per day x ___ #of days/week =

____ Total# of showers per week

14. How many minutes is your family's average shower? Estimate it by answering the questions below.

a. Time it! Use a stop watch to record the amount of time it takes each of your family members to shower. Add the minutes together and write them in the space below.

b. Do the math!

Total# of minutes family members spent in the shower in one day _ __

Total# of family members _ __
=
# of minutes for your family's average shower _ __

15. Count it!

a. How many times each day is a toilet flushed in your house? _ _ times
b. --~# of toilet flushes X l days/week (one to seven) = _ _ _ Total# of toilet flushes per week

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16. Are there other places where a lot of water is used in your house? (Examples: automatic sprinklers, hot tub, swimming pool, etc.)
If so, where? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Home Water Use How much water do YOU use?

17. Do the math! Figure out how much water is used by each member of your family on an average day.

(Hint - the shapes below correspond to the shapes above. Find the answers below from the same shapes above.)

D
Gallons Per Billing Period

=

Number Of

Daily

Average Days In Consumption

Billing Period

=

Number Of

Average Use

People In Home Per Person In

Gallons/day

Watering Minutes Per Day

Watering Days Watering Minutes

Per Week

Per Week

Watering Hours Per Week

0

X

1800

=

Watering Hours

Gallons

Gallons Per Week

Per Week

Per Hour

Outside Watering

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19. Figure out how much water is used inside your home by completing the chart below.

WaterUse.Activity
InYour Home
Dishwasher - Qyestion #9A
Washing Machine - Qyestion # 10 A
Showers-
Qyestion # 12 Baths-
Qyestion # 13 Toilet Flushes-
Qyestion #15b Total Approximate Water Use Per Week

#OfUses Per Week
-

Multiply
X X X

Avt:rage Gallons/ . use 15
60
30

Equals

Approximate Water
Use Per Week

=

=

=

X

35

=

X

5

=

*Based on statistics from South Florida Water Management District -Water Conservation Education "Home Water Audit"
These are the ways I can conserve water at home and at school:

Water Conservation Audit developed by Mary A. Elfner, Georgia DNR

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Meter Reading
Materials
~ Water Meter Student Copy Page
Background
The student's ability to read their water meter is essential to their ability to monitor water usage. Knowing how will help them better understand their bill as well as help them track their conservation efforts.
In order for students to read their meter, they will need to locate it. Water meters are usually located near the
street on the front of their property under a metal lid. If they live in an apartment or condominium, they may need
assistance from a property manager in locating the meter. Once located, tell them to open the lid and examine the face of the meter.
Seventy-five percent of the meters in the Atlanta water system are straight dial meters. Straight dial meters are easy to read. Like the odometer in your car, the pointer revolves as long as water is flowing through the meter. Adanta's Department ofWatershed Management measures water consumption in CCF's or 100 cubic feet and one CCF equals 750 gallons. The students will not need to record the last two digits, because they represent tenths and hundredths. For example, the meter shown here reads 651.36 cubic feet or 6.51 CCF. The students will be reading the numbers shaded in white.
To calculate how much water they have used in a given period of time, record the amount ofwater consumed at the start of a time period (the initial reading) and subtract that number from the reading at the end of your time period. For example, if at the start of the time period, the water meter read 6.51 CCF (the initial reading) and at the end of the time the water meter read 9.54 CCF, the amount ofwater consumed during that period is 3.03 CCF (9.54 CCF minus 6.51 CCF). Multiply 3.03 CCF by 750 gallons/CCF to determine the amount ofwater used in gallons.
An important part of the student's water meter is the leak detector, a small red triangle that detects small volumes of water that may be passing through your meter. If any amount ofwater is being used (passing through the meter) the leak detector will revolve in a counter-clockwise direction. The more water that flows through the meter, the faster the leak detector will turn. To determine if there are any water leaks, tum off all the water in the home (including washing machines, dishwashers, sinks, toilets etc.) and then check the leak detector. If the leak detector continues to turn there could be a water leak.

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In order to determine if there is a leak in the home or underground, locate the master water valve. The valve is usually located under the house, in the crawlspace or in the basement utility room. Close the master valve to shut off the water flowing into the house. Check the water meter to see if the leak has stopped registering. If the leak continues to register with the valve closed, the leak is probably located underground between the meter box and the master valve. If the leak stops registering, the leak is somewhere inside the house.

The lD-gallon dial spins when water runs through the meter
Leak Detector

If there is a leak at the meter or a large amount ofwater in the meter box, please contact the Atlanta Water Department Customer Service Center at 404-658-6500.
Circular Dial Reading
Some students may have circular reading meters and they can be a little more difficult to read. These meters have 6 or 7 dials. To read a circular meter you begin with the dial that has the greatest volume and continue to the dial with the next greatest volume and so on until you get to a dial that says "one foot" and is used to detect leaks. This dial reads as a 0 and is not recorded. The ten dial is also not read. If a dial is between two numbers, you read the number as the smallest number.

10.000
,._ 0' '""
,E) CUBIC0
Q , FEET
0 t 100
10

This circular dial reads _ _ _ _ _ __

Procedure
Begin by finding out if the students know what a water meter is. Then ask if they know where their home water meter is located. It is usually located near the street under a metal lid. Review with the students how to locate and read their water meter.

Assign them the task oflocating the water meter on their home property with their parents. Have the students draw a picture of it and fill out the first part of the Meter Reading Worksheet and bring it to class. Have students share their pictures ofwater meters and where they found it.

One week later have the students record their meter numbers again on their Meter Reading Worksheet. In class, have students subtract the ending cubic feet from the beginning cubic feet and multiply it by 750 gallons to get the total gallons ofwater used in a weeklong time period. Discuss ways the students can reduce the amount of water used in their home.

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Meter Reading Worksheet
Directions: Locate the water meter at your home. It is usually located near the street on the front ofyour property under a metal lid. If you live in an apartment or condominium, you may need assistance from a property manager in locating the meter. Open the lid and examine the face of the meter. Record the numbers on your water meter in the spaces below. If you have more numbers than the spaces provided, disregard the last numbers.

Initial Water Meter Reading: Record the numbers on your water meter at the beginning ofyour time period in the space below.

Meter recording at the beginning of the time period _ _ _

+ 100

End Water Meter Reading: Record the numbers on your water meter at the end ofyour time period in the space below.

Meter recording at the end of the time period _ _ _

+ 100

_. _ _ CCF End Water Usage

Total Water Usage: Calculate how much water your family used during your time period (Hint- the shapes below correspond with the shapes above).

Minus

_ _ _ CCF End Water Usage

Equals

_. _ _ CCF Total Water Usage

Total Water Usage in Gallons: Calculate how much water your family used in gallons during your time period (Hint- the shape below corresponds with the shape above).

_. _ _ CCF Total Water Usage .

X 750 =Total #ofgallons used in _ _days

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Reading aWater Bill
The following is an example of the City of Atlanta water bill. The consumption CCFs is the total amount of water used from the first month to the second. One CCF equals 100 gallons ofwater used. The prior bill amount is given, along with whether this payment was made, which is noted with a CR. The security charge is an additional tax paid by City of Atlanta residents. The sewer charges and water charges are calculated with cost per CCF =
$8.00. Therefore, 14 CCF multiplied by $8.00 =$112.00. We then add the security charge of$2.10 to $112.00, and
the result is $114.10 as the total current charges, and since the prior bill amount was already paid, the total amount due as well. Then, multiply the total amount of$112.00 by 0.70 (70%) to calculate the .sewercharges, which is $78.40. Multiply the total amount due of $112.00 by 0.30 (30%) to calculate the water charges, which is $33.60.

PLEASE INCLUDE THE TOP PORTION OF YOUR BILL AND MAKE PAYMENTS TO THE PAYMENT CENTER ABOVE. DIRECT ALL INQUIRIES OR CORRESPONDENCE TO:

CITY OF ATLANTA DEPT OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 55 TRINITY AVE, SW ATLANTA, GA 30335-0330 PHONE: (404) 658-6500

METER READINGS

05109105

0440

04/07105

0426

CONSUMPTION

14 -CCF

---------- BILLING SUMMARY ----------

PRIOR BILL AMOUNT PAYMENTS THRU 05/03/05 BALANCE FORWARD
CURRENT BILL CHARGES:

$63.76
S63.76CR
so.oo

SECURITY SURCHARGE SEWER CHARGES WATER CHARGES

$2.10 $78.40 $33.60

TOTAL CURRENT CHARGES

$114.10

TOTAL AMOUNT DUE

$114.10

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CreatingYour Own Water Bill

Now, each student should cut out the water bill below and complete the following steps:

1. Fill in the first and second months dates

2. Fill in the amount of usage for each month, with the first month holding a lower amount of usage than the

second month.

3. Fill in the amount of security surcharge for this month.

4. Pass the water bill to another student and have them calculate and fill in the following:

a. Calculate the total consumption within the month of usage by subtracting the first months usage from

the second months usage, with the result in CCFs

b. Convert this CCF amount to gallons and place this amount here:

gallons used this month.

c. Calculate the total current charges and total amount due using 1 CCF = $8.00.

d. Multiply the total current charge by 0.70 (700Al) to calculate the sewer charges and fill in the

corresponding blank.

e. Multiply the total current charge by 0.30 (300Al) to calculate the water charges and fill in the

corresponding blank.

-------------------*-Cu-t -ou-t w-a-ter-bi-ll*---------------------------- BILLING SUMMARY ----------

PRIOR BILL AMOUNT PAYMENTS THRU 05/03/05 BALANCE FORWARD

$63 .76
S63.76CR
so.oo

PLEASE INCLUDE THE TOP PORTION OF YOUR BILL AND MAKE PAYMENTS TO THE PAYMENT CENTER ABOVE. DIRECT ALL INQUIRIES OR CORRESPONDENCE TO:
CITY OF ATLANTA DEPT OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 55 TRINITY AVE, SW ATLANTA, GA 30335-0330 PHONE: (404) 658-6500

CURRENT BILL CHARGES:
SECURITY SURCHARGE SEWER CHARGES WATER CHARGES
TOTAL CURRENT CHARGES
TOTAL AMOUNT DUE

s_ __
S_ __
s_ __
s_ __
s_ __

_ ! _ !_

METER READINGS

_ !_!_

CONSUMPTION

14 -CCF

----------------------------------------------~

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These are the ways I can conserve water at home and at school:

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Earth Friendly Household Cleaner
Materials
~ 1 gallon plastic milk jug container to hold alternative cleaner (1 per student) ~ Ammonia, vinegar and baking soda (enough for number of students in the class multiplying the total in the recipe) ~ 1 General Household Cleaner Recipe written on an index card ~ Index cards- one per student ~ String ~ Paper to create labels ~ Markers and crayons ~ Glue
Background
Household hazardous wastes are products that contain toxic chemicals that can be dangerous for humans, pets, and fish. Examples of these products are the following: paints, stains, sealers, used motor oil, antifreeze, paint strippers, paint thinners, cleaning agents, solvents, drain and oven cleaners, fertilizers, pesticides, gasoline, kerosene, propane, batteries, mercury thermometers, thermostats, fluorescent lamps, and pool chemicals. Disposing of these products improperly can cause water quality problems. In this "Walk the Talk" lesson, students will create an alternative household cleaner with safer ingredients.
According to the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, it is estimated that 62 million pounds of human household waste is generated by Georgians every year. This is approximately 20 pounds per household per year. To help reduce the amount of household hazardous waste, use biodegradable or alternative products when possible. Biodegradable products are items that bacteria, especially biological agents, can decompose. Biodegradable pollution is pollution that is rendered harmless by natural processes and causes no permanent harm. If a biodegradable alternative is not available, then it is important to dispose of products correcdy and recycle them when you can. For additional information on these products, please contact P2ad.org for additional information on Hazardous Household waste. For information on a list of recycling sites and local contacts, call1-800-CLEANUP or go to www. P2ad.org and www.cleanwatercampaign.com.
Procedure
Select a recipe from the list provided below and collect enough ingredients so that each student can make an earth friendly recipe to take home. If you have parent helpers they usually are glad to help and could collect the ingredients and help in the classroom on the day of the project.
Have students bring a gallon jug to school. Students will be asked to create their own label for their earth friendly product. Give each student a half sheet of paper or a copy of the Cleaning Bottle Label Design provided below to decorate. Students can create a name for their product and put it on the line provided and provide graphics that advertise their earth friendly product. Give each student an index card with a punched hole and a string so that the index recipe card can be attached to the jug to take home. Have students copy the recipe for the household cleaner that you select from the list below onto their card.

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Recipes
~ Air Freshener- Simmer cinnamon and cloves; leave open a box of baking soda in a room or set out a dish of vinegar
~ General Household Cleaners - Mix 1h cup ammonia, 1/3 cup vinegar, 1,4 cup baking soda in one gallon ofwarm water
~ Drain cleaner - Dissolve 1h cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar iri boiling water. Pour solution down the drain. Continue to flush with hot tap water until the clog breaks.
~ Spot Remover - Club soda, lemon juice or salt ~ Tub and Tile Cleaner -lh cup ofbaking soda, 1h cup of white vinegar and warm water ~ Toilet Bowl Cleaner - Paste of borax and lemon juice
Sources
Recipes for Alternative Cleaning Solutions. Iowa City Landfill & Recycling Center. 10/12/04 <http://www.icgov. org/documents/altcleaningsolutions. pdf>.
Alternatives to Hazardous Chemicals. City of Dover Community Services Department. 10/12/04 <http://www. ci.dover.nh.us/community/environmentallalternative
Clean Water Campaign, 40 Courtland St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, www.p2ad.org or www.cleanwatercampaign.com

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Cleaning Bottle Label Design
Earth Friendly Cleaner

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Storm Drain Stenciling Project

Materials
~ Storm drain stencils ~ Paint ~ Permission to paint local storm drains from local
authority ~ Duck tape ~ Bags to put stencil pa~erns in once used ~ Broom ~ Safety vests ~ Rubber gloves ~ Informational brochures to hand out in the
neighborhood on the importance of storm drain stenciling
Background
Storm drain stenciling projects are an easy way to inform the community that stormwater and contaminants flow through storm drains to the nearest waterway. During this activity, students will paint messages, such as "Keep Clean-Drains to the Stream", on storm drains or curbs that educate the local community about storm drains. It lets the public know that everything that goes down a storm drain, such as antifreeze, motor oil, paint, trash, pesticides, fertilizers, dirt, leaves, and grass flows, untreated into a nearby stream.
Stormwater runoff is rainwater that runs off rooftops, lawns, driveways, and streets in our neighborhood. As the water flows, it picks up grass clippings, oil, grease, leaves, dirt, harmful bacteria, toxic chemicals, litter, and other contaminants. Polluted stormwater runoff is also called "nonpoint source pollution" because the pollution comes from many different sources, as opposed to "point" source pollution" which comes from one identifiable source such as a factory pipe that dumps contaminants straight into the stream. Instead of dumping contaminants down the neighborhood storm drain, people can recycle used oil, avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides, properly dispose of pet waste in garbage cans, and wash cars on lawns instead of pavement.

If your students are interested in being involved in a storm drain stenciling project, you can contact the Clean Water Campaign at www.cleanwatercampaign. com to get a stenciling kit or Earthwater Stencils at info@earthwater-stencils.com. Another way to mark storm drains is to do curb markers. They are highly visible markers on the curb rather than the storm drain. You can determine the appropriate message, color, size, and shape of marker. If your students are interested, you can contact a curb marker supplier at www. dasmanufacturing.com for information.
Procedure
1. Get permission from the local authority and give each student a safety vest. Place cones at least 30 feet in front ofwork area and at least 10 feet away from the project site. One person should be designated to watch for traffic.
2. Cover the drain area with a drop cloth to keep paint particles from flowing down the storm drain.
3. Scrape the entire metal area with a wire brush to remove loose dirt and any unwanted particles.
4. Place tape on the concrete surface along the edge of the metal to keep paint from getting on the concrete.
5. Paint the entire metal surface with gray background paint.
6. Center the stencil on the top of the storm drain while pulling and holding the stencil tightly on both ends. Tape the stencil onto the storm drain.
7. Put newspapers around the stencil to keep paint from getting on the concrete.

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8. Ifyou use spray paint, use a sweeping motion back and forth across the stencil and then carefully remove the stencil. It might be important to discuss hand painting instead of spray painting to protect air quality.
9. Clean up by removing the tape, newspapers, drop cloths, and traffic cones.
10. Discard trash properly and clean brushes with soap and water while they are still wet.
11. Distribute information through a brochure to let neighbors know about the project and why it is important for water quality.
Sources:
Atlanta Clean Water Campaign - www.cleanwatercampaign.com 40 Courtland St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303
Earthwater Stencils - 4425 Ave., Rochester, WA 985799703 36Q-956-3774
Das Curb Markers - www.dasmanufacturing.com

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Rain Gardens And Rain Barrels

Rain Gardens
Materials
~ Expert to help your students locate the proper placement for a rain garden and conduct soil testing
~ Wet tolerant, drought tolerant, hardy plants ~ Mulch ~ Gardening tools
Background
In a city as large as Adanta there are plenty of hard surfaces from development such as, rooftops, streets, driveways, sidewalks, and parking areas. These impervious surfaces become roller coasters for stormwater by transporting it quickly to the nearest drain, stream, or lake. Stormwater is rainwater that moves quickly over hard surfaces carrying pollutants and sediment to our streams, lakes, and rivers instead of percolating into the soil.

Rain gardens are usually located in natural depressions at least 10 feet away from a house or building. Rain gardens should not be placed on steep slopes, near septic systems, over utility lines, or areas with a seasonal high water table. If you are looking at your school campus, you may need to consult with an expert, who can walk the school campus with you and help you discover the best location for your rain garden. The size of a rain garden is determined by experts according to the amount of impervious surface and the type of soil. After the location and size are laid out, dig up the area, replace the soil with planting soil, which is a blend of mulch and sandy soil, and then plant water tolerant plants.

An excellent solution to stormwater pollution is an attractive rain garden. A rain garden is a natural landscape feature that requires less maintenance and fewer chemicals than lawns. The rain garden receives runoffwater from roofs or other hard surfaces and holds the water on the landscape thereby reducing stormwater flows. About thirty percent more water will soak into a rain garden as compared to an equal amount oflandscape elsewhere. Beyond reducing the amount of stormwater, rain gardens also reduce the amount of stormwater pollution. Many pollutants are filtered out and broken down over time bec.ause the plants, mulch, and soil combine natural physical, biological, and chemical processes to remove pollutants from runoff.

Creating a rain garden at Intown Community Church located at 2059 LaVista Road in Aclanta, Georgia.

Procedure
Ask students to define stormwater runoff and why it is a problem. Then ask the students to brainstorm ways that a home landscape can reduce the amount of stormwater entering the waterways.

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Sources
Adopt-A-Stream- www.riversalive.org/aas.htm Clean Water Campaign - www.cleanwatercampaigncom City of Atlanta Watershed Management- www.cleanwateratlanta.org Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD)- http://www.p2ad.org/index.html Rose Mary Seymour, Ph.D., P.E. ofUniversity of Georgia, College ofAgricultural and Environmental Science, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Griffin Campus, UW-Extension Office, the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD)
Completed rain garden at lntown Community Church. For more information and photos on raingardens, please visit the Life at the Water's Edge web site: www.riversalive. org!LATWE.htm

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---------------------------------------------'-~- ~-

Rain Barrels
Materials
~ New sturdy trash can (you can also use 55 gallon
food grade plastic drum - check your local yellow pages under barrels for a dealer) ~ Tube of sealant/adhesive caulk ~ Mesh screen ~ Mosquito brick ~ lh inch faucet ~ Down spout flex elbow ~ 3 bricks ~ Optional: 1 inch plug
Background
Rain barrels - a new concept for water conservation? No way! The idea of capturing rainwater in cisterns is generations old. Landowners have used cisterns as a way to collect water for water gardens, plants, washing clothes and even drinking. A rain barrel is a great way to save water and energy by reducing water use and an excellent tool to teach students about stormwater runoff and water conservation.
A rain barrel is a rainwater harvesting system that is connected to a downspout from a house or building. It collects rainwater from a roof and gutters, which can then be used to water gardens or lawns. "The average US household uses 146,000 gallons ofwater per year with up to 50 % of that water going towards landscaping during the summer months" (Rainwater Harvesting). A sprinkler uses 480 gallons an hour, a hose uses about 600 gallons an hour and a drip hose uses 1 gallon an hour for every 100 feet ofhosing.lt rains about 51 inches yearly in Atlanta Rainwater runoff from the roof and gutters can be reused through rain barrels. By collecting rainwater, one can save energy, water, and money to the tune of $600 a year.

Rain barrels also help reduce erosion and stormwater runoff and increase water quality. Stormwater runoff picks up contaminants from driveways, roads and lawns, such as yard debris, oil, pesticides, and fertilizers. Capturing stormwater in rain barrels and reusing it for lawn and garden care reduces the amount of stormwater runoff from your property and the possibility oflocal contamination.
Procedure
Ifyou and your students would like to purchase premade rain barrels through your local garden store or through an online source, contact Aaron's Rain barrels at www.ne-design.net, Gardener's Supply at www. gardeners.com, or Watersavers at www.watersavers.com.
Rain barrels can also be created from store bought materials. Ifyou are interested in making your own rain barrel follow the directions listed below. 1. Drill two lh" diameter holes near the top of the
trashcan/drum for overflow. Cut two-pieces of mesh screen slightly larger than 1 inch. Using the sealant/adhesive caulk, attach the mesh screen to the overflow holes drilled at the top of the barreV trash can. If you are using a plastic drum, it is recommended that you drill the third hole at the very bottom so that you will be able to completely drain the drum. Put a plug in the third hole.
2. Drill another hole 6 inches from the bottom on the side, which should be the same size as your faucet opening (for a lh inch faucet use a 7/16 drill). Screw the faucet into the opening and secure with sealant/adhesive on both sides.
3. In the trash can cover, cut a 6 x 6 inch opening (the hole can be either circular or a square). Cover the opening with mesh screen. Secure using the
sealant/adhesive caulk. If you are using a 55 gallon drum, cut an opening that is approximately 1/3 the
size of top in the top. Cover the opening with mesh screen. Secure using the sealant/adhesive caulk.

Southface Energy Institute Atlanta 4. Attach the trash can cover to the can.

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5. Place the rain barrel on 3 bricks next to the downspout you wish to capture the water from. This is so you can put a bucket/water pail under the faucet.

*Created by Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Program with assistance from Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Program. Winter 2005

6. Cut the downspout to just above the rain barrel.

7. Attach the downspout flex elbow to the downspout.

8. Slide the rain barrel under the spout lining up the mesh screen opening with the flex elbow. Spray water on the roof and check to make sure the rain barrel and mesh opening are in the right location.

9. Add a mosquito brick monthly and enjoy your new rain barrel.

10. Optional: paint your rain barrel using Krylon Fusion paint, which is available at most hardware stores and online at Aarons Rain barrels.

Sources
Rainwater Harvesting, Energy Technical Bulletin 27, Southface Energy Institute, www.southface.org/web/ resources&services/publications/factsheets/27 rainwater-recovery-v2.pdf 11/8/04
Rain Barrel Information and Sources, Saving for a Sunny Day: Rain Barrels in the Garden http://dnr. metrokc.gov/wlr/PI/rainbarrels.htm 11/10/04
Aarons' Rain Barrel FAG.: www.ne-design.net/rain-
barrel-faq.html11/8/04
Harvest the Rain-Right from Your Roof, Kathy LaLiberte, Gardener's Supply Company www.gardeners. com/gardening/content.asp?copy_id=5497 11/8/04
Rain Barrel Guide: How to use rain barrels for water collection http://rainbarrelguide.com/ 11/10/04
Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Program, www. accstormwater.com

Aaron's Rain Barrels, 2004
Barrel made at home by Kim Morris-Zameke

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At a Glance Fact Sheet

Watersheds
What is a watershed? A watershed is all of the land from which precipitation drains into a specific body ofwater, such as a stream, river, or lake. An elevated area of land from which water
drains forms watershed boundaries. It is not uncommon
for watershed lines to intersect state or international borders. Unlike these human-made boundary lines, watersheds are natural boundaries for an area of land. Watersheds can be any size, from only a few acres to millions of square miles. You live in a watershed. Your watershed may include your home and school, farms, forests, and maybe even a small town.
Who and what impact a watershed? Everything that happens in a watershed affects the body ofwater to which precipitation drains. When a building is constructed, trees are usually cut down and earth is displaced. Both ofthese activities may result in increased erosion and sedimentation, which negatively impact streams, lakes, and rivers. When a road is paved, impervious surfaces lead to quicker runoff and accumulation of litter, debris, and pollutants that end up in the water.
Not everything people do negatively affects their watershed. Planting buffers around streams, picking up litter, limiting outdoor water and chemical use, and getting to know your watershed are all ways to have a positive impact.
How can we protect our watersheds? You have already begun to protect your watershed by studying it. By learning everything you can about watersheds in general and your watershed specifically, you will become aware of the positive and negative impacts people can have on watersheds. Help protect and improve your watershed by learning about rain gardens, riparian buffers, xeriscaping, and erosion control, and implement these useful methods on your property. You may also avoid chemical pesticides,

herbicides, and fertilizers, carefully dispose of toxins, pick up litter, and volunteer for a waterway cleanup in order to improve the health, beauty, and functionality of your watershed and waterways.
Wastewater
What is wastewater? Wastewater is used water. Any water that has been used in domestic, commercial, or industrial uses may be considered wastewater. It is assumed that wastewater contains bacteria or other contaminants, so it is sent to a wastewater treatment facility before it is discharged into a waterway. No one wants to drink the water they drained out of the tub or used to flush the toilet-this water must first be cleaned before it is suitable for reuse.
How can I reduce the amount ofwastewater created in my home? There are many ways to reduce the amount of wastewater that you and your family produce. Water conservation techniques can help reduce water usage in your everyday activities. When you take a bath or shower, several gallons of clean water are rinsed down the drain, becoming wastewater. For most homes, every minute you spend in the shower results in 2.5 gallons of wastewater. By reducing the amount of time you spend in the shower, you can help conserve water. Turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth will conserve water, as well. Throwing tissues in the trash can instead of flushing them down the toilet will reduce the amount of clean water that is needlessly flushed-5 gallons for each flush. Toilet flushing is responsible for the greatest amount of indoor water use, second to clothes washing. You may choose to wash only full loads of clothes or dishes, rather than turning on a partially filled machine. Water the lawn in the morning or evening instead of in the hot sun, and never over-water. Over-watering turf causes unnecessary waste ofwater and results in increased runoff and nonpoint source pollution. It is always best to reuse a resource when possible, and bathwater may be reused for watering flowers or lawns.

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Impervious Surface
What is impervious surface? An impervious surface is any surface that does not allow the absorption ofwater. The most common of these are concrete and asphalt. Urban areas contain an abundance of impervious surfaces, which transport rain to storm drains, and eventually to a stream or river. Roofs, bridges, wooden decks or porches, packed soil, and brick areas are all impervious surfaces.
What is the effect ofthese constructed surfaces? Impervious surfaces contribute heavily to water pollution and stream bank deterioration. As it rains onto an impervious surface such as a highway, water accumulates and flows towards a ditch or storm drain, carrying with it any debris, oil, chemicals, or litter in its path. The ditches and drains eventually flow into a stream or river, and this rainwater/contaminant mixture, often called rni!Qff, is flushed into the waterway. Since impervious surfaces do not allow natural percolation ofwater into the soil, all of this runoff flows into a stream at a single location, eroding the banks. Stream banks provide habitat for many organisms, and their erosion reduces the number of suitable places for these organisms to exist.

gardens. Planting vegetation buffers around streams or protecting buffers already in place will also help. All of these methods will allow water to penetrate the ground, facilitating natural water purification and preventing pollution of streams and rivers.
Combined And Separated Sewers
What is a combined sewer system? A combined sewer system is one that carries both wastewater and stormwater in the same pipe. Sewage, like the wastewater from your home, and stormwater, like the runoff from a storm event, are combined in one pipe that flows to a wastewater treatment plant, where all the water is treated together and then released to the river. During heavy rains, the wastewater treatment plant may not be able to handle all of the water from the combined sewer. When this occurs, water is diverted from the wastewater treatment plant to the combined sewer overflow (CSQ), and then into a tunnel that acts as a holding tank for the water. The tank is designed to slow the flow ofwater until it can enter the enhanced CSO treatment plant. The enhanced CSO treatment plant treats this combined water more rapidly than the standard wastewater treatment plant. The treated water will then be allowed to enter the river.

The temperature of river water may also be amplified during summer storms in urban areas. Impervious surfaces have greater thermal conductivity than vegetated surfaces, which heats the water as it flows over the surface. This increase in the temperature ofwater that is released into streams and rivers is enough to alter the aquatic habitat in such a way that fish and other organisms are affected.

What is a separated sewer system? A separated sewer system is a sewer that carries stormwater and wastewater in separate pipes. Wastewater and stormwater are never combined, thus eliminating the possibility that untreated wastewater may enter rivers and streams. Wastewater is carried by the system to a wastewater treatment facility, while stormwater is direcdy released into a river or stream.

What can you do to decrease runoffand nonpoint source pollution? It is better to use pervious surfaces instead of concrete when constructing driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, or patios. Some alternatives to impervious materials
include graycl, grid pavers, and block pavers. All of these
allow water to seep into the soil and help reduce runoff.
Rainwater may be diverted from rooftops into rain barrels for use in landscape watering or collected in rain

Why is untreated sewage harmful to our water resources? Raw sewage carries coundess varieties of harmful bacteria and can pollute our rivers and streams. Wastewater may include contaminants such as chemicals, human wastes, nutrients, bacteria, and viruses. When contaminants enter a stream or river, these pollutants can potentially cause harm to aquatic ecosystems and can pose risks to humans.

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Drinking Water Standards
What are drinking water standards? Drinking water standards are maximum contaminant levels allowed in water used for human consumption. State agencies, U.S. Public Health Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are responsible for establishing and enforcing water quality laws and regulations. In 1974, the U.S. adopted the Safe Drinking Water Act, which gives the EPA the authority and responsibility to set such standards. All public water systems are required by law to abide by the standards set by the EPA.
In Georgia, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Division set and enforce water quality standards.
What laws protect the quality ofmy drinking water?
The Safe Drinking Water Act is a federal law that requires the EPA to set and enforce water-quality minimums. The EPA currendy maintains standards for several microorganisms, byproducts of disinfection, disinfectants, inorganic and organic chemicals, as well as radionuclides. All of these are included in the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, which are legally enforceable standards throughout the country. EPA also sets National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations, which are suggested, but not enforced standards. Secondary regulations include contaminants that may affect color, taste, or odor of the drinking water, or may cause discoloration of the skin or teeth when consumed.
The Safe Drinking Water Act was established in 1974 and amended in 1986 and again in 1996. It charges the EPA with the responsibility of protecting all waterways and water sources in the U.S. This includes over 160,000 public water systems, providing nearly all of the water consumed by Americans. Aside from protecting our drinking water, the Safe Drinking Water Act grants consumers the right to know if there is a problem with their drinking water. The 1996 amendment to the Act requires all public water systems to prepare and distribute annual consumer confidence reports on the quality and source of the water they provide. Additionally, the EPA and individual states must prepare annual reports on water systems' compliance with standards.

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Web Resources
Effects ofWater Pollution on Human Health "Health Impacts ofWater Pollution" edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/waterlhealth.htm Discusses several sources of polluted drinking water, including contaminated groundwater and chemical contamination, the effects of polluted water on human health, and potential solutions.
"Water Health Connection" www.waterhealthconnection.org Register to view data on waterborne disease trends, water pollution, treatment, exposure pathways to waterborne disease, health risks, and a water-related glossary. Site created by the American College of Preventative Medicine and fUnded by the EPA.
International Water Availability and Pollution Issues "Rainwater Harvesting" www.rainwaterharvesting.org Very informative site that deals with water issues in India. Includes information on the country's water conflicts, rural and urban problems, policy, and the ways people are affected. Also has links to think pieces written by individuals on their perspective of the water issues. The "Runoff Calculator" can be found under "Research Tools"; it allows people to enter their town and the surface area of their roof, and it returns the amount of rainwater that could be harvested annually, how many people this amount of water would sustain, and possible improvements of the town's water system.
"World Water Council" www.worldwatercouncil.org Official web site of the international water policy think tank. This site provides information on water politics, financing water infrastructure, water's effects on the food supply and the environment, and the relationship between water and climate change.
Rain Gardens "Rain Garden Network" www.rainwaternetwork.com This site will help you design, plant, and maintain your rain garden. Offers ideas for homeowners, schools, and businesses for implementing rain gardens. Also includes information on rain barrels.
"Rain Garden Publications" clean-water.uwex.edu/pubs/raingarden/ Publications to aid in planning a rain garden, including an introductory and a "how-to" guide.
"Rain Gardens ofWest Michigan" www.raingardens.org More information on rain gardens, including basic information, plans, and resources to help create and sustain your garden. Also includes information on stormwater education.
Stormwater "City of Oceanside Clean Water Program" www.oceansidecleanwaterprogram.org Designed for residents of Oceanside, CA, this site contains information on water pollution prevention for businesses, developers, students, teachers, and the general public. Definitions ofwater-related terms are clear and concise, and the importance of pollution prevention is stressed. Good site for general information. "Just for Kids" section includes games, activities, and a colorful description of stormwater and runoff

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"Clean Water Campaign: Solutions for Stormwater Pollution" www.cleanwatercampaign.org This is a Georgia program devoted to stormwater education and pollution prevention. Resources include workshops, fact-sheets, ways to get involved, a stormwater glossary, and a kids' page with games, activities, and lessons.
"Life at the Water's Edge" http://www.riversalive.org/LATWE.htm This site illustrates demonstration sites around the city ofAtlanta that have implemented stormwater control techniques for the average homeowner.
"Protecting Water from Nonpoint Source Pollution" www.protectingwater.com Offers fact-sheets on nonpoint source pollution sources, best management practices to help prevent pollution during day-to-day activities, and "For Educator" and "Activities" pages.
"Sacramento Stormwater Management Program" www.sacstormwater.org Site gives information about preventing stormwater pollution, storm drain stenciling, frequently asked stormwater questions, "Just for Teachers" pages, and "Fun Stuff" for kids.
Urban Water Pollution Issues
"Preventing Urban Water Pollution" www.cjnetworks.com/-sccdistrict/resubwt.htm Examines several common activities that contribute to water pollution, and provides alternatives or modifications that may help alleviate pollution problems.
"Rivers Alive" http://www.riversalive.org An annual statewide river cleanup program in Georgia.
"Tackling Urban Water Pollution" www.nwri.ca/sande/nov dec 2002-e.html An article written by Canada's
National Water Research Institute on urban water pollution causes, effects, and efforts to control it.
"Urban Water Pollution" www.livinglakes.org/issues/pollution.htm Explains several sources ofwater pollution in urban areas, as well as potential solutions for urban water pollution problems. Includes a list of urban lakes around the world that are affected by pollution.
Water Delivery and Wastewater Removal
"Clean Water Atlanta: Drinking Water, Stormwater, Wastewater" www.cleanwateratlanta.org Information on current projects to protect Georgia's water resources, stormwater plans, Consumer Confidence Reports on Atlanta's drinking water, fact sheets on sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants. Look on the "Environmental Education" page for excellent animated diagrams detailing water delivery and removal systems and the differences between combined and separated sewer systems. "Kids' Corner" includes activities, games, and puzzles on water.
Watersheds
"Georgia Adopt-A-Stream" http://www.riversalive.org/aas.htm A volunteer based monitoring program in Georgia that trains citizens to protect their local watersheds through water quality monitoring.
www.watersheds.org A site designed specifically for teachers and students on watersheds. Includes lessons, games, activities, quizzes, photos, maps, and other resources for learning about watersheds and watershed protection.
"Center for Watershed Protection" www.cwp.org Includes definitions and information on watersheds, resources for watershed groups, watershed management tools, and a watershed quiz.

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"Know Your Watershed" www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYWI This site gives a description ofwatersheds, their roles and importance, how people impact their watersheds, and what can be done to improve them. It also includes watershed quizzes, information on watershed networks, and a glossary ofwater terms.
"Watersheds.TV" www.greentreks.org Site contains articles, photos, teacher resources, and student activities on watersheds and other environmental topics. Watershed links and resources are available.
"Wedands, Oceans, and Watersheds" www.epa.gov/owow Information on watersheds and water bodies, what can be done to improve and protect them, and what you can do to help. They also offer courses through the Watershed Academy and information on forming watershed groups. Kids' page includes games, activities, Environmental Kids Club, experiments, and information on watersheds and water.
Water Qpality Standards and Economic Effects ofImproving Water Quality EPA's "Ground Water and Drinking Water" www.epa.gov/safewater Provides current EPA standards for drinking water, information on the Safe Drinking Water Act, reports on drinking water safety from local water suppliers, lists of common contaminants and their sources, recent news concerning drinking water, and a Kids Stuffpage where students can learn more about drinking water and standards.
EPA's "Water Qyality Standards" www.epa.gov/waterscience/standards/ Contains information about standards and how they are enforced, regional information, current events in water quality, and an extensive database ofwater quality reports and the designated uses of specific waterways.
"Congressional Budget Office" www.cbo.gov Here you may search for reports on the costs of improving water quality, as well as other Congressional budgetary concerns.

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A Consumer's Guide to Water Conservation: Dozens ofways to save water, the environment, and a lot of money Mark Obmascik American Water Works Association Price: $8 each *Payment is required at the time of purchase (i.e. credit card over the phone) (800) 926-7337
Wastewater Poster Water-Resources Education Initiative 2nd in a series of 6 posters: others included in series are Oceans, Watersheds, Hazardous Waste, Wetlands, Water Use, Navigation, Ground Water, and Water Qyality Price: $0 *Write to the address below and specify the poster title(s) and grade level(s) desired. Color for grades 35 and 6-8 or black-and-white). A limited number of color and black-and-white posters entitled "Water: The Resource That Gets Used & Used & Used for Everything!" also are available in Spanish by writing to the address below:
U.S. Geological Survey-Branch ofDistribution P.O. Box 25286 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 Telephone: (800) 435-7627
The Story ofDrinkingWater American Water Works Association Price: $0.55 each (minimum order: 30) *Payment is required at the time of purchase (i.e. credit card over the phone) (800) 926-7337

Be in the Know...Go With the Flow Water Environment Federation Price: $30 for a package of 200 *Payment is required at the.time of purchase by phone or online (check or credit card) (800) 666-0206 (703) 684-2400 www.wef.org (Order# ZPllOO)
Let's Learn About Using Water Wisely Channing L. Bete Co., Inc. Price: $1.15 for orders under 100, $0.89 for orders of 100-150 *Sales tax + Shipping (7% of order total) not included m pnce *Payment required at the time of purchase (credit card) (800) 628-7733 Fax: (800) 499-6464 www.channingbete.com
Water Watchers U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Price: $0 *Order by phone or online (800) 426-4791 http://yosemite.epa.gov/waterlowrccatalog.nsf/
Drinking Water Treatment U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Price: $0 *Order by phone or online (800) 426-4791 http://yosemite.epa.gov/waterlowrccatalog.nsf/

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Georgia Water Resources
The Adanta Regional Commission supplies information regarding Georgia's water issues, water management plans, government actions and activities, watershed protection, stormwater issues, and other water concerns in Georgia. www.adantaregional.com
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is a project of the National Park Service. The web site includes information on the Chattahoochee River, recreational activities, teacher workshops, interpretive programs, and wildlife. www.nps.gov/chat
The Citizen Riparian Network provides information and assistance to citizens interested in creating stream buffers by increasing the vegetation alongside their waterways. CRN helps educate citizens about the importance of protecting riparian corridors and provides them with the information they need to restore the riparian zone to reduce erosion, improve water quality, and provide wildlife habitat. www.riversalive.org/CRN/Citizen_Riparian_Network.htm
Clean Water Adanta provides information about drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater in Adanta. The "Kids Corner" has several water activities including puzzles, a word search, coloring sheets, and the "Captain Clean Stream" activity book. www.cleanwateradanta.org
The Clean Water Campaign is an interactive web site for students, parents, and teachers with information on storm drain stenciling, free community workshops, downloadable brochures and fact-sheets, as well as audio and video files available for download. Their "Stormwater Facts for Kids" page has internet activities, games, fact-sheets, and teacher resources. www.cleanwatercampaign.com
Drought in Georgia is a special information site created by the University of Georgia's college of Agricultural and Environmental Studies. This site posts climate and rainfall data, water use tips and restrictions, and a glossary of terms relating to water and climate. www.georgiadrought.org
Environmental Education Alliance (EEA) of Georgia is a nonprofit organization that promotes communication and education among professionals in the field of environmental education in Georgia. www.eealliance.org
EE in Georgia is an organization devoted to promoting environmental education in Georgia. They provide lesson plans, networking opportunities, funding, resources, and workshops for teachers, as well as contests and activities for students. www.eeingeorgia.qrg
Enviroscapes are hands-on learning tools for nonpoint source pollution, wedands, landfills, groundwater, and more. Information on this product is available at www.enviroscapes.com
Georgia Adopt-A-Stream is a statewide volunteer water-quality monitoring program. Training is provided in biological, chemical, and visual monitoring. Volunteer and teacher resources are available, and assistance is provided for watershed organizing. www.riversalive.org/aas

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The Georgia Conservancy offers teachers curricula, classroom activities, and environment-related contests to engage students in learning about water. The Water Addendum to the Native Seasons and the Native Waters curriculum provides additional water-related lessons. Teacher workshop schedules, student activities, and newsletters are posted on the web site. www.georgiaconservancy.org
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs offers assistance in Water Resource Planning with initiatives meant to increase awareness and protection ofwatersheds, educate the community about water resources, and encourage water conservation. www.georgiaplanning.com/water
The Georgia Department ofNatural Resources Water Conservation Program was created to improve public awareness ofwater issues and the need for water conservation in Georgia. The teacher page on their site includes a calendar of upcoming student activities and teacher workshops as well as classroom activities available for download. www.conservewatergeorgia.net
Georgia P2AD is dedicated to educating Georgians about pollution prevention and waste reduction. Information on radon, household hazardous waste, landscaping, water efficiency, and computer equipment disposal and recycling is available. www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnr/p2adl
Georgia Project WET provides teachers and non-formal educators with training in curricula designed to promote water awareness, knowledge ofwater-related issues, and water conservation. Several curricula are available with multidisciplinary activities for all grade levels. www.projectwetusa.org
Georgia River Network is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of Georgia's waters. They offer information on advocacy, water laws, reservoirs, water-resource planning, water quality, and conservation, as well as river basin fact-sheets and watershed information. www.garivers.org
The Georgia Water Coalition is an advocacy group that provides information on water issues and involvement in water policy in Georgia, with a focus on water as a public resource. www.georgiawater.org
Georgia Water Council was formed by the Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Planning Act to form the State Comprehensive Water Management Plan to be implemented in 2007. www.georgiawatercouncil.org
The Georgia Water Wise Council is a cooperative program with UGA, designed to promote water conservation education. They provide information on the Water Sourcebook Series, which includes water-themed interdisciplinary activities to supplement existing curricula. The Georgia WaterWise Council also offers extensive information on water conservation and distributes the Xeriscape information booklet. www.gwwc.org
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District offers details regarding plans for stormwater management, wastewater management, Georgia water supplies, and water conservation. Their site includes information on Georgia's water issues, water politics, and a schedule of public meetings. www.northgeorgiawater.com
The National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat is a certification program for citizens to provide habitat for wildlife using sustainable gardening techniques. www.nworg/backyardwildlifehabitat

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Project WILD is an environmental and conservation education curriculum with activities for kindergarten through 12th grade students. Their Project WILD Aquatic Curriculum and Activity Guide focuses on aquatic wildlife and ecosystems. www. projectwild.org
Rivers Alive is a statewide annual waterway cleanup event in Georgia. It was developed in order to increase awareness and involvement in the health of Georgia's streams, rivers, beaches, wedands, and lakes. www.riversalive.org
River ofWords is an annual international poetry and art competition for students, created in order to promote awareness ofwatersheds and water issues. www.riverofWords.org
The U.S. Geological Survey provides data and information on Georgia's current water quality status. Their "Water Science for Schools" site includes information, pictures, classroom and web-based activities for students, a glossary ofwater terms, and quiz questions on water topics. www.ga.water.usgs.gov
The Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper provides river-related educational activities to schools in the Chattahoochee watershed. They offer a multi-media curriculum, teacher seminars, hands-on activities including their "Floating Classroom" on Lake Lanier, water-quality monitoring materials and training, and a "Watershed Patch" program which includes presentations and activities related to water quality issues. www.chattahoochee.org
EPA Water Drop Patch Project has information to help Girl Scouts use their skills and knowledge to educate others in their community about the need to protect the nation's valuable water resources. www.epa.gov/adopt/patch/
The Winning Water Children's Water Festival is an annual event meant to increase awareness ofwatersheds and water quality in a hands-on setting. Keep Georgia Beautiful sponsors this festival. www.winningwater.org

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Water Resources

Water Quality & Conservation Water Conserve is a water conservation portal providing up-to-date news stories from around the world and hundreds of links to water-related sites, organized into categories. www.waterconserve.info/news/
American Ground Water Trust promotes awareness of the environmental and economic importance of ground water through educational tools such as books, conferences, pamphlets, and videos, and provides guidance in testing water quality and a consumer hotline for ground water. www.agwt.org, 800/423-7748

Watersheds & Rivers Water Alliance connects and supports local Baykeeper, Riverkeeper, and Waterkeeper, programs that work to protect their communities'.waterways and water quality. Waterkeepers research and advocate on behalf of their watersheds. www.waterkeeper.org
Center for Watershed Protection provides local governments, activists, and watershed organizations with the technical tools for protecting lakes, rivers, and streams and is focused on protecting small watersheds from the effects of sprawl. www.cwp.org

Groundwater Foundation works with communities to cultivate ground water awareness by sponsoring local Groundwater Guardian teams made up ofbusiness people, citizens, educators, and local government officials to assess their community's ground water protection needs and then develop a strategy to meet those needs. www.groundwater.org
Environmental Protection Agency, Office ofWater and Office ofGround Water and DrinkingWater, oversees the implementation of the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act by working with local government, states, tribes, and other partners to educate the public about the water supply and insure its quality. www.epa.gov/ow/ www.epa.gov/safewaterl
U.S. Geological Survey collects and analyzes water data from around the nation and generates maps, reports, and software with information pertaining to ground water, surface water, stream flow, and water use. The Learning Web provides projects for K-12 students and lesson plans for teachers, as well as additional science education resources. water.usgs.gov
H20use offers tips for water conservation in every room in your house and in your lawn, including suggestions about purchasing water-thrifty appliances and a discussion ofgreywater systems. www.h2ouse.org

Clean Water Network helps you identifY and investigate your watershed, including state-by-state fact sheets on water quality. Their Help Center identifies useful web sites to help you work with the media on water-related issues, to find policy and legal tools, and to write letters to the editor and to elected officials. Its "member's links" web page connects you to organizations working in your state. www.cwn.org
The National Watershed Network is a registry oflocally led watershed partnerships that you can search to identifY groups that have faced issues similar to yours in their watershed. www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/nwn/nwn.htrnl
National Wedands Conservation Alliance supports wedand conservation, enhancement, and restoration with technical assistance and funding programs to help landowners become better stewards of their lands. users. erols.com/wedandg/
America's Clean Water Foundation (ACWF), is a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, DC, that promotes youth education, public involvement, and technical program exchange for clean water. www.acworg/

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National Advocacy Campaign for Safe and Affordable Drinking Water is an alliance of consumer, environmental, and public health organizations working to educate the public about drinking water and advocating on the federal level for safer drinking water. Provides tips on how to interpret annual "right to know" water statements, www. safe-drinking-water.org, 202/895-0420 ext. 135
World Water Monitoring Day, From September 18 to October 18, citizens throughout the world community will have an opportunity to monitor the quality of their local watersheds and enter the results of their efforts into an international database. Then, on October 18, we will celebrate World Water Monitoring Day together. www.worldwatermonitoringday.org/
Clean Water Action is a national citizens organization with 700,000 members that organizes grassroots groups and coalitions, and oversees campaigns to elect environmental candidates and solve communities' environmental problems. www.cleanwateraction.org, 202/895-0420
Public Citizen's Water for All campaign works to protect universal access to clean and affordable drinking water in the U.S. by keeping it in public hands. The campaign offers information on the issues and major players in the battle against privatization. www.citizen. org/cmep/water/
National Defense Resources Council, one ofthe nation's leading environmental organizations, advocates on behalf oflegislation designed to protect fresh and ocean waters. NRDC also produces reports that inform the public on water issues, including "What's on Tap? Grading Drinking Water in U.S. Cities," which evaluates drinking water quality in 19 urban areas. www.nrdc.org/water/
American Rivers monitors federal legislation and the actions of federal government, oversees a dam removal campaign, tracks river-related news, and serves as a gateway to organizations around the country working to preserve rivers. American Rivers publishes "America's Most Endangered Rivers," an annual report of troubled

rivers that identifies crucial decision makers and points out opportunities for the public to take action on behalf of each river. www.americanrivers.org
River Network is designed to support grassroots river and watershed conservation groups by offering assistance in fundraising, organizational development, and small grants. The web site includes a directory of 3600 grassroots, conservation, river and watershed groups, local and federal agencies, and an online course on how to use the Clean Water Act to protect your local river. www.rivernetwork.org
Trout Unlimited staff and volunteers testify before Congress, publish a quarterly magazine, intervene in federal legal proceedings, and work with 500 national chapters to conserve, protect, and restore North America's trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. www.tu.org
Books Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World's Water, by Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke, lays out the case against privatizing water in a clear and forceful manner, and suggests some ways to fight back. New Press, 2002.
Cadillac Desert: The American West and its disappearing Water, by Marc Reisner, is one of the classic texts on water in the American West. A work of both investigative journalism and historical inquiry, it explores the devastating effects of human attempts to manage and profit from water in the arid West. (Viking, 1986.) The book has been turned into a four-part video, "Cadillac Desert," Home Vision Select, 1997.
Every Drop for Sale, by Jeffery Rothfeder, an investigative journalist, explores the turmoil over the world's growing water scarcity and suggests water will be the flashpoint for future conflict. Tarcher/Putnam, 2001.
The Gift ofRivers: True Stories on Life on the Water, edited by Pamela Michael, is a collection of river stories that serves as an introduction to some of the world's leading authors who write about water. Travelers' Tales, 2000.

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My Story as Told By Water, by David James Duncan, is an engaging series of essays in which the author celebrates water and watersheds and issues a call to action for their protection. Sierra Club Books, 2001.
Pillar of Sand: Can the Irrigation Miracle Last? by Sandra Postel, is one in a series of books by a leading water expert. In this book she takes up the crucial and increasingly imbalanced relationship between irrigation, food production, and population growth. Norton, 1999.
Plan B, by Lester R. Brown, tackles the major environmental challenges facing the world, including water scarcity, and proposes a global cooperative effort to preserve the world's resources. Norton 2003.
Red Delta: Fighting for Life at the End ofthe Colorado River, by Charles Bergman, tells the story of the Mexican delta where the Colorado River empties into the Gulf of California, an area that represents some of the best restoration and conservation opportunities on the continent. Defenders ofWildlife, 2000.
The Riverkeepers: Two Activists Fight to Reclaim Our Environment as a Basic Human Right, by John Cronin and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, narrates the successful personal and legal battles undertaken by environmentalists and fishermen to restore the Hudson River and to hold polluters accountable for its near destruction. Scribner, 1997.
Rivers for Life, by Sandra Postel and Brian Richter, explains the importance of rivers and the benefits of keeping them free of dams. With case studies from Australia, South Africa, and the United States. Island Press, 2003.

projects and a thoughtful overview ofwater conflicts and scarcity worldwide. Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
Water Wars: Drought, Flood, Folly, and the Politics ofThirst, by Diane Raines Ward, examines the history ofwater projects around the world, and outlines the dangers that face a water-scarce present and future. Riverhead Books, 2002.
Water Wars: A Story ofPeople, Politics and Power, by Honey Rand, is an insider's look at the dispute over public water in west central Florida. Rand focuses on local activists and policy makers as they worked for consensus. Xlibris, 2003.
Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution, and Profit, by Vandana Shiva, argues that the world's most important conflicts are rooted in struggles over water and she identifies the human cost of dams and privatization and the droughts they cause. South End Press, 2002.
The World's Water: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources, 2002-2003, by Peter Gleick vol. 3, outlines a decentralized and efficient water management plan to meet the global water crisis. Gleick also reports on climate change, dams, and privatization. Island Press, 2003.
Youth & Teachers Adopt A Watershed uses a local watershed as a living laboratory in which K-12 students engage in handson activities. Curriculum is designed to build over a course ofyears and to serve as part of the core science curriculum. The program combines classroom learning and field work. www.adopt-a-watershed.org

Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping and the Fate ofAmerica's Fresh Waters, by Robert Glennon, argues that Americans are spoiled by excessive groundwater pumping and that our habit of draining groundwater reserves faster than they can be replenished amounts to an ecological disaster. Island Press, 2002.
Water: The Fate ofOur Most Precious Resource, by Marq de Villiers, provides a history of human water

Catalysta.org is an online educational nonprofit that connects students and schools world wide for crosscultural study and service-learning on global issues. It offers student forums and teacher resources for assignments, local service-learning projects, and a 10week web-delivered curricula modules on water and globalization. The "Our Water" module is also available on CD-ROM. www.catalysta.org/pub/index.htrnl

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EcoSchools' Water Systems on School Grounds lists resources to help students and teachers identify and understand the water systems on their school grounds and to help them start related projects of their own. Case studies ofwater projects are available. www. ecoschools.com/Water/\Vater_wSidebar.html
EducatingYoung People About Water has a database of 151 water-related curricula that includes materials to develop community-based youth programs and to link educators with key community members in partnerships for water education. www.uwex.edu/erc/eypaw/
Give Water a Hand is a national watershed education program. Their youth Action Guide and the Leader Guidebook (for youth leaders and teachers) are easy-to-follow, illustrated guides about how to organize and carry out effective action-oriented local projects. www.uwex.edu/erc/gwahl
Groundwater University, sponsored by the Groundwater Foundation, is an annual three-day adventure at an educational center along the Platte River in Nebraska for youth ages 12 to 15. Students and teachers learn from national groundwater experts. www. groundwater.org/K.idsCorner!GU.htm

River ofWords: Images and Poetry in Praise ofWater, edited by Pamela Michael, is the result of an annual contest held by River ofWords that invites students, ages 5 to 19, from around the world to submit poetry and art related to the topic ofwatersheds. Thousands of submissions are culled down to 100, which are published each year in a book. Heyday Books, 2003. www.riverofwords.org
Environmental Protection Agency, Educational Resources web site. Contains material K-12, curriculum, activities, and technical documents. www.epa.gov/ epahome/educational.htm
Surfyour Watershed, Watersheds are those land areas that catch rain or snow and drain to specific marshes, streams, rivers, lakes or to groundwater. Locate your watershed by entering your zip code. www.epa.gov/surf/
Arkansas WatershedAdvisory Group (AWAG), Arkansas specific information, web site links, calendar, current projects, contacts, newsletters, and statewide citizen-based watershed groups in Arkansas. www.awag.org

Project WET (Water Education forTeachers) promotes stewardship ofwater resources through the dissemination of classroom-ready teaching aids and the establishment ofinternationally sponsored Project WET programs. www.projectwet.org

Water Recycling in Schools, the Triangle School in North Carolina reclaims wastewater on the school site through a constructed wetland, a greenhouse containing soil filters, and an aquatic ecosystem. The on-site treatment facility recycles water. A case study of the projects is available. www.waterrecycling.com/index.htm

Father Water, Mother Woods: Essays on Fishing and Hunting in the North Woods, by Gary Paulsen, is a series of autobiographical essays by a well-known author, who regularly seeks adventure in water and the wilderness. Ages 9 to 12. Delacort, 1994.

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Glossary

Blue Traveler Aquifer: an underground water source Condensation: the process that allows water to change from a gas to a liquid Electromagnetic forces: the fields created by positive and negative charges of atoms, which influence the formation of molecules and the attraction and repulsion (push and pull) of molecules to and from each other. Evaporation: the process that allows water to change form from a liquid to a gas Groundwater: water found underground that supplies springs and wells Hydrologic cycle: the water cycle; the pathway that water takes as it travels among oceans, rivers, lakes, soil, plants, clouds, and more Transpiration: the respiration process of a plant in which it releases water vapor through pores called stomata
A -maze-ing Water Aquatic: living or growing in the water Biodegradable: something that can be broken down by natural processes Contaminant: substances that mix with water and make it impure, such as fertilizer, motor oil, litter, pesticides, animal waste, and others Nonpoint source pollution: pollutants that come from an unidentified source, such as pesticides, fertilizers, detergents, sediment, oil, grease, and animal waste for example Runoff: Precipitation that flows overland to surface streams, rivers and lakes Storm drain: an opening, usually on the side of the road, that allows rainwater to run off the street and into an underground pipe system leading to a stream or river
Water Pollution on Trial Best management practice <BMP): Methods adopted by resource users designed to mitigate harm to the environment that might result Integrated pest management: a method of pest control in which chemical and non-chemical means are used to control pest populations, including natural enemies,

weather, and crop management in addition to chemical pesticides; IPM is meant to be less expensive and more environmentally responsible than pesticide use alone Nonpoint source pollution: pollutants that come from an unidentified source, such as pesticides, fertilizers, detergents, sediment, oil, grease, and animal waste for example Nutrient: provides nourishment; nutrients that are in fertilizers may cause harm to aquatic ecosystems when found in large quantities Percolate: to pass through a porous substance Point source pollution: pollution that comes from an identifiable source, such as a pipe that drains into a stream Pollution: an undesirable state of the natural environment being contaminated with harmful substances as a consequence of human activities Stormwater: rainwater that collects on the ground and drains into a storm drain Water pollution: anything that is put into a water source and is not naturally found there, such as fertilizers, soaps, and animal waste
Sewer System Soup Combined sewer overflow (CSO): stormwater may travel through the same pipes as wastewater does, and in a heavy rain the water in these pipes may be more than can be handled by the wastewater treatment plant; in this case, waters in combined pipes bypass wastewater treatment and move through the CSO control station receiving screening and chemical treatment before entering a river or stream Combined sewer a'Stem: a system of pipes through which wastewater and stormwater travel together to the wastewater treatment plant Regulator: equipment in the wastewater system that directs flow to the CSO and tunnel when the wastewater treatment plant is at capacity Separated sewer a'Stem: a system in which wastewater goes through water treatment and stormwater goes direcdy into a stream without any treatment. Stormwater: water that is generated by rainfall and is often routed into drain systems in order to prevent flooding

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Wastewater: water that contains unwanted materials from homes, schools, and businesses and is a mixture of water and suspended solids.
Greening the Asphalt
Impervious surface: a hard surface, such as asphalt, through which water cannot pass Green space: land that allows water to pass through the soil on its way to underground aquifers Porous pavement: a special type of pavement that allows water to pass through instead of running off Rooftop garden: gardening on the roof of a building; commonly done in cities where garden space is at a premium; rooftop gardens provide green space in the city, reducing impervious surface Urban heat island effect: the effect of impervious surfaces in urban areas; impervious surfaces absorb heat during the day and release it at night when the temperatures drop, causing it to feel warmer than expected in urban areas
Wet-Work Shuflle
Water resource career: a job which contributes to the health and cleaning ofwater or to the distribution of water to or collection ofwater from people's homes, such as a hydrologist, microbiologist, waterworks engineer, municipal planner, plumber, or sanitarian

Just Pipe Up:
Advanced Treatment: The level ofwater treatment that requires an 85% reduction in pollutant concentration; also known as tertiary treatment Clear well: storage area for drinking water after being treated Infrastructure: the system ofbuildings, pipes, and equipment in the constructed water cycle Man-made water cycle: the cycle through which water travels as it is removed from a natural source, cleaned, disinfected, transported to homes, schools, and businesses, treated, and returned to a river Primacy treatment: the treatment stage ofwastewater in which solids and impurities are removed Pwnping station: where water is transported from a river or stream into a treatment plant Raw water: untreated water which comes from a river, stream, or lake Secondary treatment: the treatment stage that employs biological and chemical processes Sewer pipe: pipe which carries used water from homes to treatment plants Stor~ tank: where water is held just before being transported to homes, businesses, schools, etc. Water pipe: a pipe carrying water from the river to drinking water treatment and through the various stages of treatment, cleaning, and transport

Piped on Water
Chattahoochee River: a river which begins in the North Georgia Mountains, runs through Atlanta, forms part of the Georgia/Alabama border, and flows into the Gulf ofMexico in Florida; residents of metro Adanta receive drinking water from the Chattahoochee River every day City Engineer: a city executive who plans and oversees the design, construction, and administration ofpublic engineering projects, such as public works and water treatment Man-made water cycle: the cycle through which water travels as it is removed from a natural source, cleaned, disinfected, transported to homes, schools, and businesses, treated, and returned to a river; the manmade cycle mimics the natural cycle in which rainwater filters through soil, sand, and rock Water reclamation: the process of treating and cleaning wastewater and stormwater so that it can be reused

What is Your Standard?
Additive: a term used generally to indicate special chemicals that may be added to products to improve their characteristics Bacteria: tiny, single-celled organisms which may encourage decomposition ofwastes or cause disease in animals and plants Chemical: typically a human-made substance; some types are harmful if swallowed and others help in water treatment Clean Water Act: a federal law enacted in 1977 which gives rules for discharging pollutants into public water and gives quality standards for drinking water Coagulation: a step in the water treatment process which causes contaminants to clump together for easy removal Disinfection: the process designed to kill most microorganisms in wastewater, including essentially all patho-

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genic (disease-causing) bacteria; there are several ways to disinfect, with chlorine being the most frequendy used in water and wastewater treatment plants Environmental Protection Agency <EPA): a federal agency which seeks to ensure natural resources such as water are safe and are used responsibly Filtration: a process for removing particulate matter from water by passage through porous media Parts per billion (ppb): a unit of measurement used to describe the amount of a pollutant, chemical, or nutrient in a substance such as water; for example, ifyou put one blue marble in a billion red marbles, the blue marble is one.part per billion (ppb) Parts per million (ppm): a unit of measurement used to describe the amount of a pollutant, chemical, or nutrient in a substance such as water; for example, ifyou put one blue marble in a million red marbles, the red marble is one part per million (ppm) Safe DrinkingWater Act: a Georgia State law which requires regular water monitoring in order to ensure that the water is healthy and safe to drink Sedimentation: the process by which particles in water setde to the bottom of a container and collect there Vll1ls: a tiny parasite which may cause disease Water quality standard: rules for water quality and treatment that help ensure that water is safe to drink and use
River to River Aeration: the addition of oxygen to water Biosolids: nutrient-rich organic byproducts from the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment facility; when treated and processed, the biosolids can be recycled and applied as fertilizer to improve soils and stimulate plant growth Effluent: water that has been treated and cleaned through filtration Finished water: water that has been treated and is acceptable for drinking
lnm;ganic: materials that do not come from living things
and do not contain carbon; an example is metal Microbial contaminant: a tiny contaminant such as a virus or bacterium that is not visible without a microscope Organic: materials that come from living things such as plants or animals that contain carbon

pH: potential of hydrogen; a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution Potable water: water that is suitable for drinking Suspended solids: organic or inorganic particles that are suspended in and carried by the water; includes sand, mud, and clay particles as well as solids in wastewater Ultraviolet: light with very short wavelengths that disable microorganisms found in water and is used for disinfection during wastewater treatment
The Ghosts ofWater Past Combined sewer overflow (CSO): stormwater may travel through the same pipes as wastewater does, and in a heavy rain the water in these pipes may be more than can be handled by the water treatment plant; in this case, waters in combined pipes bypass water treatment and move through the CSO control station before entering a river or stream Combined sewer system: a system of pipes through which wastewater and storm water travel together to the wastewater treatment plant or into the stream or river Culvert: small channel or drain that allows water to pass under a road Depression: a sustained downturn in the economy Honey wagon: horse-drawn wagons which carried human waste from Atlanta homes in the late 1800s Night soil: human wastes friyy: an outdoor toilet that uses earth, ash, or water to flush wastes away Reconstruction: the period after the American Civil War when the southern states of the defeated Confederacy, which had seceded from the United States, were reintegrated into the Union Rochdale Pail: a system by which human wastes were removed from homes by hand, transported by horses, and later sold for use as fertilizer Sewerrate: A price set by the city for treating wastewater from homes, schools, and businesses that is paid by the city residents Storage tunnel: places where water may be held until there is room for it in the water quality treatment plant

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Walk the Talk
Biodegradable: something that can be broken down by natural processes Conservation: protection or preservation of a resource such as water Debris: trash or waste
Rain barrel: used to collect rainwater and help reduce
the amount ofwater wasted by watering a lawn or garden
Rain garden: a garden which contains plants that are
able to capture runoff from roofs and pavement, filtering pollutants in the runoff and protecting streams from problems associated with runoff
Storm drain stencil: used to label storm drains with
a phrase meant to discourage dumping; stenciling is a public awareness project which draws attention to stormwaterissues Tolerant plant: a plant that can withstand large quantities ofwater, nutrients, or pollutants Toxic: poisonous or harmful Water audit: a calculation of how much water you and your family use Water meter: a device that measures how much water is delivered to a building

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