As part of their Sharing the Planet Unit of Inquiry, Grade 4 students from The Booker School visited the Port Williams Water Treatment Plant. They have been investigating the Central Idea that ‘Water is a Finite Resource’, starting with a thought-provoking read aloud of The Water Walker by Joanne Robertson. In addition to learning about the water cycle, they have been inquiring into how water is managed and used throughout the world.
Water scarcity has been a recurring theme, and was highlighted by ‘A Drop in the Bucket’ activity where students learned that of all the water on Earth, approximately 0.003% is safe and accessible fresh water. The Water Princess by Susan Verde tells the story of a young girl who does not have access to clean water, and must walk for miles each day to draw water from a well. Grade 4 students realised how fortunate we are in our community to have clean drinking water at the twist of a tap, and became curious about how water is cycled, treated and distributed locally.
The class set off for a walk through the town, and on the way there they met Joe Keddy, who was conducting his rounds at one of the town’s five wells. He explained that the wells are approximately 250 feet deep, and on this particular day, he was flushing the well to aid in the disinfection process.
Upon arriving at the treatment plant, Joe guided the students through the facility. He showed them the water pipes that feed into the tower, which has a capacity of 600,000 gallons. In Port Williams, chlorine is the only chemical added to the water, maintained at a level of 1.4 ppm. This ensures that even as the water travels to the farthest parts of town, it remains at a safe and effective disinfection level. In other communities, additional chemicals or more extensive filtration processes may be required, depending on the local water supply.
Each day, Joe conducts several tests to ensure the water remains safe for consumption. One of these tests checks for chlorine levels—if the sample turns pink, it confirms the presence of chlorine.
We would like to extend our gratitude to Joe Keddy for taking the time out of his busy day to welcome us and provide such an informative tour of the water treatment plant.
By Ms Melissa Williams - Grade 4 Homeroom Teacher
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