It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {TAPS Manual Part 5: Improperly Operated Landfills}

Frannie's friends at the Groundwater Foundation recently published the second edition of the Training About Protecting the Source (TAPS) Manual. The manual guides users through hands-on activities that explore potential threats to groundwater and challenges them to think about what can be done to protect this key drinking water source.

This manual can be used inside the classroom and is aligned to the national Next Generation Science Standards, but Frannie loves just learning about groundwater, no matter where she is. For the next few weeks, you can join her as she works through the different activities. 

Frannie will be using the Groundwater Foundation's Awesome Aquifer Kit, but if you don't have one, you can follow along with materials that might be found around your home. This is the second part of Frannie's exploration of the TAPS Manual. You can follow the link to see what she learned about sinkholes, leaky underground storage tanks, improperly abandoned wells and the over-application of fertilizer.

Today's activity is....Improperly Operated Landfills.

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A municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF) is an area of land that typically receives household waste and sometimes can receive other types of nonhazardous waste, such as commercial solid waste, nonhazardous sludge, and industrial nonhazardous solid waste. According to the EPA, there are approximately 2,000 MSWLFs in the U.S. that are managed by the states in which they are located. When rain, snow, or runoff water soaks into and through a landfill, it can dissolve some of the landfill’s contents and, in an improperly constructed or operated landfill, carry it on down to the groundwater. This mixture of recharge and particles from the landfill’s contents is called leachate. As the amount of waste increases, the potential for leachate to enter the groundwater increases.

For this activity, you will need:

• Awesome Aquifer Kit
• Plastic box
• Gravel
• Plastic tube
• Hand pump or syringe
• Nylon
• Rubber band
• 2 inch square piece of dyed paper towel (prepped in advance)
• Dip a paper towel in/or spray with slightly diluted food coloring (2 drops of dye per ounce of water)
• Allow to dry completely.
• 16 oz cup of water

Activity Steps 

1. Read through all the instructions first before you begin to build the model. Make sure you have all the needed materials and supplies.

 

2. Fill the plastic box with gravel until it is about ¼ full.

 

3. Add water so that half of the rocks are covered. (This will represent an aquifer.)

 

4. Create a well by covering the end of the plastic tube with nylon, securing it with a rubber band.

 5. Insert the well, with the well screen on the bottom, near one corner of the plastic box. Push the well down so that it reaches the bottom of the model.

 

6. Take the colored piece of paper towel, scrunch it up, and bury it on the opposite side of the model from the well location and near the outside of the box. (This is your landfill.)  

 

7. Pour or spray water on the surface of the gravel to simulate rain. Observe what happens to the landfill and groundwater after the rain.

8.  Pump the well by inserting the tip of the syringe into the well (plastic tube) or attaching and pumping the hand pump.

Once it got wet, the stained paper towel began to leach some red into the surrounding groundwater. Frannie also noticed that the water she pumped out of the other end of the model was colored a light pink. Leachate from improperly managed landfills can flow in underground plumes, eventually contaminating nearby wells, but this can be prevented. Landfills that are properly operated have safety measures in place to mitigate the chances that dangerous chemicals will enter into the ground. Proper recycling of hazardous waste, such as pharmaceuticals, paint, oil, cleaners, electronics, batteries, and more can keep contaminants from getting into the system in the first place.

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {TAPS Manual Part 3: Leaky Underground Storage Tanks}

Frannie's friends at the Groundwater Foundation recently published the second edition of the Training About Protecting the Source (TAPS) Manual. The manual guides users through hands-on activities that explore potential threats to groundwater and challenges them to think about what can be done to protect this key drinking water source.

This manual can be used inside the classroom and is aligned to the national Next Generation Science Standards, but Frannie loves just learning about groundwater, no matter where she is. For the next few weeks, you can join her as she works through the different activities. 

Frannie will be using the Groundwater Foundation's Awesome Aquifer Kit, but if you don't have one, you can follow along with materials that might be found around your home. This is the second part of Frannie's exploration of the TAPS Manual. You can follow the link to see what she learned about improperly abandoned wells and the over-application of fertilizer.

Today's activity is....Leaky Underground Storage Tanks.

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An underground storage tank system (UST) is a tank and any underground piping connected to the tank that has at least 10 percent of its combined volume underground. Underground storage tanks can contain fuels, chemicals, and wastes. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency there are over 550,000 underground storage tanks that store fuels or other hazardous substances. These tanks may leak and when they do, they can contaminate surrounding soil, groundwater, surface waters, and even affect indoor air quality.

For this activity, you will need:

• Awesome Aquifer Kit, OR
• Plastic box
• Gravel
• Plastic tube
• Hand pump or Syringe
• Nylon
• Rubber band
• Food dye
• Small plastic container with lid (ex. a film cannister, sprinkles or spice container, etc.)
• 16 oz cup of water

Activity Steps

1. Read through all the instructions first before you begin to build the model. Make sure you have all the needed materials and supplies.

 

2. Fill the plastic box with gravel until it is about ¼ full.

 

3. Add water so that half of the rocks are covered. (This will represent an aquifer.)

 

4. Create a well by covering the end of the plastic tube with nylon, securing it with a rubber band.

 

5. Insert the well, with the well screen on the bottom, near one corner of the plastic box. Push the well down so that it reaches the bottom of the model.

 

6. Add more gravel until the box is about ½-¾ full. The surface of the gravel should be fairly level across the box.

 

7. Dye about 1.5 oz of water with three or four drops of food coloring and use it to fill the plastic container. Seal the container when full.

   

8.Using a tack, carefully poke holes in one end of the film canister or container.

 

9. Dig a small hole in the gravel on the opposite side of the model from the well. Place the canister/container inside the hole. The end of the container with the holes poked in it should be facing down. Cover the container, either partially or entirely, as long as at least 10% of it is underground.

 

10. Pour water on the surface of the gravel to simulate rain. Observe what happens to the colored water inside the storage tank after it rained. 

 

11. Pump the well by inserting the tip of the syringe into the well (plastic tube) or attaching and pumping the hand pump.

Frannie observed that once the water "rained" over her aquifer, the red water, which was contained in the storage unit, leaked out into the aquifer below. As it rained more and more, even more leachate entered the aquifer. Very quickly, the whole aquifer becomes contaminated  and when Frannie tried to pump water up from the aquifer, it was pink from the contaminant. 

Storage tanks are a common and useful way of storing and disposing of toxic waste, but they must be monitored carefully to prevent contamination of our drinking water sources, crops, and livestock.

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {TAPS Manual Part 2: Over-Application of Fertilizer}

Frannie's friends at the Groundwater Foundation recently published the second edition of the Training About Protecting the Source (TAPS) Manual. The manual guides users through hands-on activities that explore potential threats to groundwater and challenges them to think about what can be done to protect this key drinking water source.

This manual can be used inside the classroom and is aligned to the national Next Generation Science Standards, but Frannie loves just learning about groundwater, no matter where she is. For the next few weeks, you can join her as she works through the different activities. 

Frannie will be using the Groundwater Foundation's Awesome Aquifer Kit, but if you don't have one, you can follow along with materials that might be found around your home. This is the second part of Frannie's exploration of the TAPS Manual. You can follow the link to see what she learned about improperly abandoned wells.

Today's activity is....Over-Application of Fertilizer.

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Fertilizers promote plant growth and green lawns by helping plants meet their nutrient needs, primarily for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Plants, however, are limited in the amount they can absorb and use. Fertilizers applied in excess can soak down into the groundwater or run off into surface water bodies. This pollution of surface and groundwater can impact our drinking water supplies.

For this activity, you will need:

• Awesome Aquifer Kit, OR
• Plastic box
• Gravel
• Plastic tube
• Hand pump or Syringe
• Nylon
• Rubber band
• 1 packet or 1 tablespoon of colored powdered drink mix (ex. Kool-Aid, Gatorade, etc)
• 16 oz cup of water

Activity Steps

1. Read through all the instructions first before you begin to build the model. Make sure you have all the needed materials and supplies.

 

2. Fill the plastic box with gravel until it is about ¼ full.

 

3. Add water so that half of the rocks are covered. (This will represent an aquifer.)

 

4. Create a well by covering the end of the plastic tube with nylon, securing it with a rubber band.

 

5. Insert the well, with the well screen on the bottom, near one corner of the plastic box. Push the well down so that it reaches the bottom of the model.

 

6. Add more gravel until the box is about ½-¾ full. The surface of the gravel should be fairly level across the box.

 

7. Sprinkle ½ a packet, about 1 tablespoon, of powdered drink mix (i.e. Kool-Aid) 

on the surface of the gravel to simulate fertilizer.

 

   

8. Pour water on the surface of the gravel to simulate rain.

 

9. Make observations

 

10. Pump the well by inserting the tip of the syringe into the well (plastic tube) or attaching and pumping the hand pump.

 

11. Observe what happens to the fertilizer and water when the well is pumped.

Frannie observed that once the water "rained" over her aquifer, the colored drink mix, which represents fertilizer, quickly mixed with the recharge and infiltrated into the groundwater below. Very quickly, the whole aquifer was contaminated with the red drink mix. When she tried to pump groundwater out, Frannie wasn't able to get any clean water. 

Frannie knows that fertilizers help plants grow healthy and strong, but there are ways and times to apply them responsibly so that plants can absorb all of the nutrients they need without any extra leaching in the groundwater below.

Protect Groundwater by Maintaining Your Septic System

by Jennifer Wemhoff, the Groundwater Foundation

With proper construction and maintenance, septic systems can be an effective way of treating wastewater for homeowners not connected to a centralized wastewater treatment system. But it's up to the homeowner to take care of the system and ensure it's not negatively impacting groundwater.

Regular Inspections. Your septic system should be inspected annually to ensure that it's working properly and if the tank needs to be pumped. Having your system inspected and pumped regularly can help you avoid the high cost of septic system failure. Find a professional septic system contractor. An inspection will locate the system, uncover the manhole and inspection ports, check connections, measure the scum and sludge layers, and check the tank and drainfield.

Keep Records. It's important to keep records of all permits, inspections, pumpings, repairs, and other maintenance. It's also a good idea to keep a sketch of where your system is located. Having this information is handy for service providers.

Protect the Drainfield. The septic system's drainfield is delicate, and needs to be protected. Don't plant anything but grass over the drainfield. Roots from shrubs and trees can cause damage. Also, don't drive, park, or operate heavy machinery over any part of the system, and don't build anything on top of the drainfield. Grass is the best cover for a drainfield.

Be Careful What You Flush. What you put into your septic system greatly affects its ability to do its job. Your septic system contains living organisms that digest and treat waste. Septic systems are not designed to be a garbage can. In the kitchen, don't put food scraps, coffee grinds, grease, cooking oils, or other food items down the drain. In the bathroom, never flush plastics, paper towels, facial tissues, tampons, sanitary napkins, cigarette butts, dental floss, disposable diapers, condoms, medications, or kitty litter in the toilet. The only things that should be flushed down the toilet are wastewater and toilet paper.

Conserve Water. Water conservation is a very important part of septic system maintenance. Continual saturation of the drainfield's soil can affect its ability to remove contaminants from wastewater. Look for and fix leaky fixtures and toilets, only wash full loads in the dish and clothes washers, and take short showers.

Find out more about how you can protect groundwater through septic system maintenance here, here, and here.

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Fannie's Adventure Downstream: Part 3}

This is the third of a three part series exploring pollution in the stream near Frannie's home. Join her on her adventure downstream to see what happens or go back to read the first part or second part of her journey.
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Frannie started coughing from the gross taste the stream had left in her mouth. Soon after, she noticed some items floating down the stream. The industrial waste made the water murky and a hard piece of metal almost hit her!

Add the ninth item to the bowl – industrial waste: Pour in some soap and wood or metal items.

“Oh no! Poor Frannie!”

At this point, Frannie was getting a little tired but decided to continue to swim downstream.

She yawned and tasted something, “Yuck what is that?” Frannie looked out of the stream and noticed that the area had been recently sprayed for bugs. Some of the bug spray, called pesticides, had gotten into the stream. Frannie did not like the way these chemicals tasted and they made her eyes itch!

Add the tenth item to the bowl – pesticides: Pour the baking soda mixed with coffee into the bowl.

“Oh no! Poor Frannie!”

Frannie was exhausted from her wild day. She was ready to go back home to her cool, clear pond!

Fish like Frannie and her other aquatic friends like clean water to live and play in. They like vegetation along the bank to shade the water and keep it cool. The cooler the water, the more oxygen for aquatic life to breathe. Plus, insects and leaves from vegetation fall into the water providing food for Frannie and her friends.

Think about your home or community. Did any of the materials that contaminated Frannie's stream sound familiar?  Have you seen them used in your neighborhood, home, or school?  Many of these contaminants are things we come into contact with every day.

What can you do (with the help of friends and family) to help keep Frannie’s home and all water clean?  Let the Groundwater Foundation know and share how you keep your local streams fresh for all of the fish!

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {#ThrowbackThursday with Nebraska MEDS Coalition - Drug Take Back Program}

Frannie was doing some spring cleaning this weekend and discovered a few bottles of old medications from when she had a bad cough a couple years ago.  At first, she wasn't sure what to do, but then she remembered seeing a blog a couple years ago about the Drug Take Back Program by the Nebraska MEDS Coalition! 

After a little digging, she found the blog, took her old medicines back to the pharmacy and wanted to share this information with all of you!

That's right, we're celebrating #tbt early to make sure you're properly disposing of those old pharmaceuticals and personal care products.

Happy spring cleaning!

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Attention Nebraska friends:

Did you know that 85% of Nebraskans rely on groundwater for their drinking water? Groundwater is also an important source for irrigation (the water used to grow our food). It's not only important that we conserve groundwater, it is also important that we protect it from contamination. Groundwater contamination occurs when substances in the groundwater make it unfit for an intended purpose and can cause harm to people, animals and the environment. Contaminants can be naturally-occurring or manmade- like gasoline, oil, road salts, or other chemicals. Frannie wants to talk about another group of manmade contaminants today- pharmaceuticals and personal care products, including:

• Cleaning and laundry products
• Make-up products
• Sunscreen and other moisturizers
• Vitamins and dietary supplements
• Medicines (prescription, over-the-counter, veterinary, etc.)

Find out more about these products here.

These products help keep us healthy and clean, but if they are disposed of improperly, they can end up in surface and groundwater. Improperly disposing of medications includes: flushing down toilets and drains or tossing in the trash.

Instead, be a leader and talk with your parent/guardian about making sure these products are properly disposed of with the Nebraska MEDS drug take-back program! Remember: never handle these products. Let your parent/guardian handle all medicines and personal care products. 

The Nebraska MEDS Coalition is a group of state and community partners that educate Nebraskans about proper drug disposal and provide safe, convenient disposal opportunities! There are over 290 pharmacies across Nebraska that participate in the Nebraska MEDS drug take-back program and will take back leftover, unused, or expired medications all year round. Since 2012 when the program began, 33,176 pounds of medications have been collected and safely disposed of! Help be part of the solution and find a pharmacy near you!  

It is important that we all play a part in protecting this precious resource! Talk with your parent/guardian about protecting groundwater by taking back unused or expired medications today. Show them this fun infographic with more information.

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Wellhead Protection: Why is it important?}

This is Part 5 in Frannie's exploration of Wellhead Protection.   Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 to learn about what it is, who protects the wellheads, and why it's important.
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So far we’ve learned about the steps it takes to create a Wellhead Protection Plan, what some potential contaminant sources are, and a couple ways to educate water professionals and the public.  But how did the idea of Wellhead Protection come about and why is it really important?

Way back in 1974, the Safe Water Drinking Act (SDWA) was signed into law to protect public health by making sure that local public water systems followed federal drinking water standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  This meant that the local water systems were responsible for making sure their customers were provided with clean, safe water.

Local water systems quickly realized that it’s much easier and less expensive to provide their customers with clean water if the system receives clean groundwater from the very beginning. Clean water means fewer treatments and tests which means less money that the water system has to spend on making sure that their water complies with federal standards.  Being proactive about water safety became, and still is, an important part of wellhead protection.

In 1986, the SDWA was amended to require states to develop Wellhead Protection Programs.  States became responsible for helping communities form local boots-on-the-ground teams who protect public supply wells, determining the land area that affects drinking water sources, identifying and managing potential contaminant sources, and developing contingency plans for future water supply needs should the existing supply become contaminated or depleted.

Today, many communities are still using the program to create Wellhead Protection Plans.  Some states use Source Water Assessment Programs to update plans that were developed in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Keeping our water clean now is making it easier and less expensive to have clean water in the future.

BLOG: Flooding, Groundwater Contamination, and Your Family’s Safety

by Sally Phillips, freelance writer

All 50 states in the U.S. have experienced some level of flooding in recent years. It is the #1 natural disaster in the country, and from 2005 to 2014, flood insurance claims amounted to an average of $3.5 billion annually.  

But it’s not all about flood claims and fixing structures that were damaged by such a disaster. A less visible threat is water contamination after a major flood. Groundwater contamination is a big concern, as 50% of the country’s population get their drinking water from groundwater resources. It is also the country’s primary irrigation source.

How can flooding threaten groundwater?

In the event of a flood, contaminants from septic tanks, farms, storage tanks, uncontrolled hazardous waste, and landfills can flow into floodwaters. As the water subsides, these contaminants can enter groundwater. Water contamination following a flood can lead to serious waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and the like, affecting both public water systems and those relying on private wells for drinking water.

Contaminants from uncontrolled hazardous waste alone is a scary prospect. There are thought to be over 20,000 abandoned and uncontrolled sites in the United States today and if these areas are flooded, contaminants will find their way to the water source.

Living in a Flood Prone Area

If you live in a flood prone area, it is important to check your homeowners insurance for flood coverage, since many homeowners plans don't include flood damage. An average insurance claim of $42,000 are filed by American families after every flood. This is a huge expense for most families, which is why ensuring that you have flood coverage is very important. As experts say, it is better to have it and not need it than not to have it and need it.

Preparing for a Flood

Considering climate change and the natural disasters it has brought in the past decade, it is vital to be prepared for flash floods or flooding. Families can prepare for this type of natural disaster by assembling emergency kits and having basic items ready. Having crates for your pets is also a must. It is also advised that you prepare bug-out bags for your four-legged family members too. Preparing an escape plan is just as important. Knowing the routes to find higher ground is a great idea. Experts note that you should know these routes by heart so that you can keep your whole family safe. Making advance arrangements for a place to stay is also a good idea.

Apart from being prepared, one of the most important things to remember after a flood is to be careful of the water you drink. It is best to have bottled water on hand so you don’t have to drink water from the tap until supplies are safe after a flood event, helping protect you and your family from diseases brought about by possible water contamination.

__________

Sally Phillips is a freelance writer with many years experience across many different areas. She enjoys reading, hiking, spending time with her family, and traveling as much as possible. 

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the view of The Groundwater Foundation, its board of directors, or individual members.

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Wellhead Protection: Potential Contaminant Sources}

This is Part 3 in Frannie's exploration of Wellhead Protection.   Read Part 1 and Part 2 and look for more blogs to learn more about what it is, who protects the wellheads, and why it's important.
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Frannie has survived this frigid weather with warm tea, a cozy blanket, and summaries from previous meetings of the Nebraska Wellhead Protection Network and she wanted to go back to the idea of taking an inventory of potential groundwater contamination sources.
In some areas, it might be easy to pick out potential contaminant sources, such as farms that use pesticides and fertilizers as well as landfills.  But some, like these three, may be less obvious.

1) Road Salt Storing and Use.  It snowed a lot this winter and the roads have been slick and icy.  To help melt the ice, hard-working snow plow drivers spread salt.  Maybe you or your family have even put some road salt on your sidewalks or driveways. Being ready for these icy winter conditions takes a lot of preparation and so all of that salt has to be stored somewhere dry to keep it from leaching into the groundwater. We need the road salt to keep the streets safe to travel on, but we need to take care to use it only when we need it and otherwise keep it stored safely away.

2) Septic tanks and drainfields.  If you are not connected to your city’s sewer system, then you might be using a septic system/drainfield layout. Septic systems treat the sewage waste that come from a home and a drain field is a network of perforated pipes laid in gravel beds.  After the solids settle in the septic tank, the liquids are released to the drainfield where they pass through the pipes and are filtered by the gravel and soil.  Human waste is a pretty dangerous contaminant and so this source must be carefully observed.

3) Mines, pits, and quarries.  Yes, holes in the ground are a potential contaminant source. Any kind of extraction or industrial operation will be using some chemicals to operate and maintain their equipment that, in normal conditions, might be considered safe.  However, in a pit or quarry or mine, many of the geological layers that normally filter runoff and groundwater are removed.  These sites are especially vulnerable and need to be monitored.

5 Things to Learn About Groundwater with the Awesome Aquifer Kit

by Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

The Awesome Aquifer Kit is one of the most powerful and fun groundwater education tools in our arsenal - we just add water! The Kit's design lets users "see" groundwater in ways they can't in reality.

The Kit includes a step-by-step instruction guide, definitions and explanations, and materials to teach youth and adults alike about:

1. The connection between groundwater and surface water.
The kit's gravel is used to "build" an aquifer and a lake, and water is added to it to learn about terms like recharge, water table, saturated/unsaturated zones, surface water, and discharge.

2. Wells and how they work.
By using a hand pump and tubing, the kit teaches about well siting, pumping, drawdown, depletion, and safe yield. Kids (and adults!) love to pump their aquifers!

3. Porosity and permeability.
Experiments explain different materials' capacity to store water, and have water move through them.

4. How groundwater becomes contaminated and can be cleaned up.
This is perhaps one of the most eye-opening uses of the kit - to illustrate how a contamination reaches groundwater. Food coloring and water create a contaminant plume, and the well is "pumped" to show how the contaminant moves. Activated charcoal and coffee filters are then used to "clean" the contaminated water.

The Awesome Aquifer Kit can be used in a variety of education settings, from a classroom to a water festival and everything in between. Get your Kit today!

Video demonstration
Additional Groundwater Information

BLOG: The Blame Game or The Illusive Culprit

by Jane Griffin, Groundwater Foundation President

Is it human nature to always look around us for someone else to blame? There's a lot of research that fully explores the blame game, but each of us has our own experiences. It happens in every situation, including issues surrounding groundwater. In the case of groundwater contamination, it is easy to point to one source and put all of the blame on it. But, that is too simple and, honestly, just not fair.  Let’s explore this a little further through one of the hottest topics: the pipeline. (First, a side note: I find it ironic that it is referred to as “the pipeline” when there are around 22,000 miles of pipelines under our feet.)

Back to the topic at hand: the blame game. If you listen to soundbites and only read headlines you could easily believe that the fate of our aquifer depends on one pipeline. As I mentioned, that is simply not right, nor fair. This is one potential source of contamination that is easy to point to. 

Now let’s look at two words from the sentence above: source and point. If you dive a little deeper into groundwater contamination, both of these words are super important, and there is a third one that is important too: non. Putting them together we have point source contamination and non-point source contamination. Point source contamination comes from a precise point, like a pipeline or factory. Non-point source contamination is trickier - you cannot simply point at. It generally results from runoff. As the runoff moves across the land's surface it picks up and carries with it natural and human-made pollutants, which ultimately end up in surface or groundwater.  

Non-point source contamination could be considered the illusive culprit; the reality is, it plays a huge role in the fate of our aquifer. Instead of pointing our fingers at one potential threat, let's follow the backward trail of that illusive threat and trace where contaminants were picked up. The scary part of following that trail is that we might just end up pointing at ourselves if we realize the runoff picked up contaminants as it passed our home or business.

We all contribute to groundwater contamination. Let’s focus on what we can each do better personally, and then let’s bring that to our neighborhood, work place, children’s school, or relative’s farm, and let’s get ahead of that illusive culprit!

BLOG: Global Connections

By Jane Griffin, Groundwater Foundation President

The mission of The Groundwater Foundation is to connect people, businesses and communities through local groundwater education and action. These connections happen every day, everywhere. We recently learned through Twitter about a connection in Kenya.

The Kingwede Water Club in Kwale County, Kenya learned about groundwater, how it can be become contaminated, and more by using our Awesome Aquifer Kits. 

Photo credit: Kingwede Water Club Blog

"In Kwale County on the coast of Kenya, a research project called Groundwater Risk Management for Growth and Development (Gro for GooD) is striving to help government and groundwater users find a management approach that balances human health, economic growth, and resource sustainability demands while benefiting the poorest demographic.

Inspired by community demand, Gro for GooD  is developing a programme of engagement to teach young women at Kingwede Secondary about water science, policy and management. The hope if to inspire them to promote better use and protection of water resources in their futures. Student-led activities will promote participation and teamwork and help the members develop their research and communication skills. Furthermore, a major benefit of the club is to showcase career options and pathways in environmental science and management and demonstrate that they are open to women as well as men."

Photo credit: Kingwede Water Club Blog

Read all about their learning experience.

Our Awesome Aquifer Kits are truly awesome – they help connect people across the globe in our effort to protect and conserve groundwater.

Do you want to have some fun learning about groundwater? Starting with our Awesome Aquifer kits is a great way. Find out more about the Awesome Aquifers activity or purchase your own.

It’s Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Awesome Aquifer Kit: Improperly Managed Landfill}

This week in Frannie’s exploration of the Awesome Aquifer Kit is all about why you should care what goes into your landfill.

 

We all know how to pick up litter and throw it away properly, but where does our trash go and how is it taken care of after the garbage truck drives away?

That’s right! The landfill!

All of the gross things we don’t want near are homes are going to a landfill.  When it rains, the water infiltrates the landfill.  In other words, it filters down through all the layers of trash to reach the earth.  Once the water has trickled down through all that trash, it starts to look and smell like a garbage soup.  Scientists call this soup “leachate”.

Leachate then seeps down into the ground where it can interact with our groundwater, the same water we pull from our wells to drink and use in preparing our food.  If we are not careful of what we put in the trash or if the operators of the landfill are not careful to check the garbage trucks for harmful and toxic items, then our wells are in danger of critical pollution.

Luckily, there are special landfills for dangerous chemicals.  These can be underground storage tanks, septic systems, or recycling plants that treat or transform toxic trash until it is useable again.  You can help at home by doing more recycling, even for items like broken electronics, batteries and light bulbs!

You can learn more about landfills here and visit your local landfill to see what they are doing to keep your ground and groundwater safe.