Water Resources of the United States

This investigation panel is designed to examine the wastewater-treatment process or processes utilized in your community. Make one copy of this panel for each student in your class. The questions that address the disposal of wastewater from the school can be assigned as a class project and answered by contacting the local wastewater-treatment facility. The questions that address septic tanks apply only to students whose homes utilize this type of wastewater-treatment process. These questions can be answered at home with assistance from the students parents.

If the wastewater from your school is piped to a community treatment facility, complete the following:

1. Where is the wastewater-treatment facility?
2. Discover some facts about your wastewater-treatment system.
3. What process of treatment does the wastewater-treatment facility use?

   trickling filter__________	activated sludge______
   lagoon_______________	other_______________

   
   

   1. What is the treatment capacity? ______________million liters per day.
   2. How is the sludge disposed?
      
      

      burned________________	landfill__________
      used as fertilizer_________	other___________

   3. Where does the treated wastewater go after it leaves the facility?

      river or stream___________	lake______________
      ocean__________________	other______________
      reuse__________________

SEPTIC TANK SYSTEMS

Adapted from Virginia Water Resource Center "Be Water-Wise".