How Clean is that Water?
Figure 1. Is our water drinkable?Copyright U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/ , photo by Glenn Phillips, IMEC.
This lesson plan helps students understand the factors that affect water quality and the conditions that allow for different animals and plants to survive. Students look at the effects of water quality on various water-related activities and describe water as an environmental, economic and social resource. The students also learn how engineers use water quality information to make decisions about stream modifications.
Engineers make sure that our water supply is safe to drink and use. Environmental and civil engineers guard the quality of our water resources in many ways. They design water and sewage treatment plants that clean water for human use, and design industrial systems and filters that make sure factory-released water is not polluting. They also monitor surface and aquifer water levels and quality, and mitigate any damaging impact from irrigation, fertilizer, pesticide, chemical and industrial wastes.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Explain the interaction and interdependence of nonliving and living components within ecosystems.
- Describe several factors that could affect water quality.
- Describe water as an environmental, economic and social resource.
- Explain how engineers help maintain water quality for health and recreation through monitoring and treatment.