Contaminated Groundwater Filtration

About 26% of the water used in the United States each year is from groundwater sources. This groundwater serves a number of important purposes, such as for irrigation of crops, the water we use in our showers, and the water that you go swimming in. However, sometimes harmful contaminants such as fertilizers, gasoline, or natural lead come in contact with groundwater deep underground. These contaminants usually dissolve in the groundwater, polluting the water that we use for our crops, showers, and swimming pools. It is incredibly important to make sure that we have access to clean groundwater in order to fulfill our needs.
Students will investigate how contaminated groundwater may reach our drinking water if untreated.  They will design and build a good filter as one way to treat the contaminated groundwater.
Brown bottle, white tube, and coffee filter

The student handout will be given to all students working on the design
challenge. It gives a brief recap of the story, it helps the students identify what they are attempting to achieve, and it recaps the design process.

Contaminated Groundwater Filtration TEK8 Instructor’s Guide

This Instructor’s Guide provides the instructor additional information on how to run the design challenge with alternatives for materials and test setups as well as information to help make the design challenge a good educational experience.

Telling the Story Video

The Telling the Story Video conveys the societal impact of the student’s research that is the basis for the design challenge and will set the problem-solving context for students.

Design Challenge Video

The Design Challenge Video leads students through the design process. It indicates materials available, states what the criteria are for success and any constraints. It also gives a second ‘level’ of the design challenge that allows ‘early completers’ to move on to a slightly more difficult challenge.

PowerPoint Presentation

The presentation can be used in conjunction or in place of the Design Challenge Video.