Association for Biology Laboratory Education

Keep That Toilet Water out of my Ground Water
 

Teresa Weglarz

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2018, Volume 39

Views: 24 Downloads: 23a

Abstract

Students know that clean water is essential to life and that groundwater is a source of drinking water for many people. However, it is more difficult to understand how our groundwater can become polluted. In this computer-based laboratory exercise, students evaluate a plot of agricultural land for suitability of land application of septage. Septage is a valuable fertilizer on farms but can pollute groundwater if applied on certain types of soils. Students examine the following site properties: type of soils, depth to bedrock, slope, permeability of soils and frequency of ponding. The goal of this activity is to write a professional letter clearly explaining the reasons for supporting or denying a proposed farm field for land application of wastewater. This activity is based on the Wastewater Specialist position at the Department of Natural Resources and therefore provides a glimpse into regulatory job duties.

Keywords:  environmental science, wastewater, groundwater pollution, soil science, nitrates

University of Wisconsin, Madison (2017)

aAs of September 1, 2026