Field Trips: Snowbowl On Site Wastewater Treatment Oak Creek Canyon Flagstaff Middle School Pond EEOP in the News: ‘To’ bee iina’’ Water is life Environmental Education for Tribal Students Other: Problem Based Learning Project Wet Technology Student Problem Log NNEPA

Field Trip - Flagstaff Wastewater Treatment Facility – Rio De Flag During the trip to the wastewater treatment facility in Flagstaff, students asked lots of questions. Throughout student discussions in their Problem Based Learning (PBL) groups, students came up with many questions concerning reclaimed water. This field trip provided the students with an opportunity to get information directly from the plant operators. Plant Operator Bill Case was an entertaining guide, providing useful information on wastewater treatment methods. He explained to the students how the city planned on selling reclaimed water to Snowbowl for making snow. The City of Flagstaff Rio de Flag Wastewater Treatment Facility produces “class A+” water; considered by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to be appropriate for uses such as crop irrigation and snowmaking. Even though the water leaving the treatment plant is class A+ quality, people are told to not drink it. Summer Scholars participants toured the Rio de Flag plant to learn how the wastewater is treated before being discharged or being used for purposes such as watering lawns and golf courses. Mr. Case led a tour of the plant while giving students background on why the treatment plant was built. Before the Clean Water Act, there was too much pollution being discharged into our lakes and rivers in the United States. The Ohio River near Cleveland caused massive public attention in the 1960’s when the river caught on fire due to the high amounts of pollution in it. On the tour students saw sedimentation tanks, aerated water tanks, and a channel where ultraviolet light is used to destroy bacteria before released from the plant. After the tour, students tested water in the Rio de Flag, where the treated water is discharged, if not being used elsewhere in the city. The Rio de Flag area is home to a popular local hiking and bicycling trail, surrounded by vegetation and habitat for wildlife. The students were able to compare the water quality in the Rio de Flag with the water quality found in Oak Creek, which they had tested earlier in the week.