Schüleruni at ISA
The Schüleruni came to ISA once again in the week from July 15 to 19. This year we looked at the different areas of water management together with 14 motivated high school pupils. After a short lecture and an introduction into the topic at ISA, we visited the wastewater treatment plant in Aachen Soers. Together with the Wasserverband Eifel Rur we visited the individual stations of the wastewater treatment plant.
The second part of the excursion took place in and around the laboratory building, where various investigations were carried out in the areas of urban water management in small groups.
In the area of water supply we dealt with the contents of tap water. In order to determine the water hardness of the tap water we brought with us, some students performed a titration in the laboratory.
Another group looked at the individual stages of wastewater treatment and various job profiles at the wastewater treatment plant. In addition to sorting various wastewater samples to the purification stages, a fresh sample from the aeration tank was examined under the microscope. It is shocking to see how much life there is in a single sludge flake!
Meanwhile, another group looked at how wastewater filtration works. The processes of wastewater filtration and the backwashing of a single-stage sand filter were simulated in a pilot plant.
However, since urban water management also influences the water bodies, some students were involved in sampling the nearby River Wurm. Here the sediment was examined for organisms of the river bed and coarser microplastics.
After an eventful and educational excursion, the students left for another year. We hope we have sparked their interest in the future of urban water management and are already looking forward to the next Schüleruni.
Translated from Kai Griebel's report from July 2019