Water Wonders #2: Where Does Dirty Water Go?

Where is the pipe?

"I like to take baths!" said Theo

Where does the drain take the water?

"I wash my dolly at the sink," said Olympia.
"I wash my feet in the shower," said Lucas.
"You need to wash you hands in the sink after you go to the bathroom," Charlie added.
The children eagerly shared ways they use water at home. They know that fresh water comes out from their taps but what where does waste water go?

Sophie replied, "It goes into the lake!"
Sasha answered, "Dirty water goes down the drain."

We explored how Vancouver's water and sewer system work. We learned that it involves many large pipes that go into the ground and they remove excess water and sewage for treatment. Since there is only 2-3% of fresh water on earth, people found ways to turn dirty water into clean, fresh water. When wastewater is treated and cleaned, it can be put back into the environment without harming anything.

The children imagined what it is like to clean the dirty water at a treatment plant. We added dirt and "trash" to the water table and the children tried to scoop it all out.