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Suggestions for School Talks

Use the information on this web site for your own presentations. Change the presentations depending on your objectives and the age of the audience.

Get the younger students involved as a "volunteer operator." Dress him or her up in gloves, safety glasses, and an apron... they love it.

Some suggested areas to stress in your talk: Grease and oil, metals, and organic pollutants. Discuss how these materials cause problems in the collection system (as with oils and grease) or how they may pass through the treatment process, upset the process, or cause problems with solids disposal. Explain how properly treated sludge contains essential nutrients and is a valuable soil conditioner.

For older high school and college students, include handling of waste solids, costs of treatment, time needed to treat, and energy needed to treat the waste. Discuss MSDS, chemistry, biology, and how polymers and coagulants work on surface charges to bring solids together.

All the above are only suggestions, make your presentations fun and customize them to your needs.

Two of the demonstrations are geared more for operators working at wastewater facilities and have access to process sludge (Sludge Dewatering Demo and Activated Sludge Settling). The other demonstrations use common materials to illustrate the wastewater treatment process.

For free posters and additional information, check out the National Center for Environmental Publications and Information (NCEPI) at: www.epa.gov/ncepihom/ Then click "Search the Catalog" and enter the following suggested keywords for public education information… "School, Posters, Elementary, Video."

There are also copious quantities of information on various water and wastewater topics. The items offered change, so visit frequently. All information is provided free of charge. Some suggested books for younger students:
Water Source Book - From the Water Environment Association
Magic School Bus Goes to the Water Works

Good luck with your presentations.