Filtration Station
Learn about the importance of clean water and create your own water filter!
What You Need
- Clear container of dirty water
- Plant pots of the same size (3)
- Clear containers that you can rest the pots on (3) (the bottom of plastic bottles can work well)
- Soil (enough to fill the three pots)
- Dead plant materials (leaves, twigs, mulch, woodchips)
- Living plant(s)
- Water testing strips (i.e., aquarium testing strips) (optional)
- Filtration Station - Activity
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Sciences precautions with respect to safe delivery of virtual outreach to youth.
Do not consume any of the water used in the activity.
What To Do
Pre Activity Prep
- Set up three different filters:
- One pot with soil
- One pot with soil and dead plant matter
- One pot with soil and living plants
- Note: if you can only find containers that are too large, popsicle sticks laid over the opening can form a support for the pots.
Activity
- Pour dirty water (tap water mixed with soil and grit) through each pot and catch the run-off.
- Compare the results. Make sure to keep some of the original dirty water for reference.
- Keep pouring the water through the filters to see which filters best and how the water changes.
- Test the run-off using the water testing strips (optional).
Discovery
It is important that we filter the water we use before it is released back into the environment. To clean water, you need to remove both the sediment (like dirt and stones) and neutralize harmful chemicals (like bleach and phenols). Filters like the ones in this activity primarily filter out particles, but over time, plants are able to reduce or neutralize many chemicals naturally. The Montreal botanical garden uses artificial "filtering marshes" to clean their wastewater without using additional chemicals.
Clean water is important for both human health and the health of the environment. Wetlands (including marshes, mangroves, swamps, bogs and fens) are an important buffer against climate change - they act as a sponge for excess water and as a reservoir to mitigate the effects of drought. They protect our coastlines by reducing wind speed and wave height and can act as a natural firebreak and carbon sink. They also help prevent erosion, help filter out contaminants and provide a home for many plants and animals. We need to protect our wetlands to keep our waterways clean and aid in the fight against climate change.
What's Happening?
It is important that we filter the water we use before it is released back into the environment. To clean water, you need to remove both the sediment (like dirt and stones) and neutralize harmful chemicals (like bleach and phenols). Filters like the ones in this activity primarily filter out particles, but over time, plants are able to reduce or neutralize many chemicals naturally. The Montreal botanical garden uses artificial "filtering marshes" to clean their wastewater without using additional chemicals.
Why Does It Matter?
Clean water is important for both human health and the health of the environment. Wetlands (including marshes, mangroves, swamps, bogs and fens) are an important buffer against climate change - they act as a sponge for excess water and as a reservoir to mitigate the effects of drought. They protect our coastlines by reducing wind speed and wave height and can act as a natural firebreak and carbon sink. They also help prevent erosion, help filter out contaminants and provide a home for many plants and animals. We need to protect our wetlands to keep our waterways clean and aid in the fight against climate change.
Investigate Further
Montreal Space for Life Foundation: Treating wastewater: Filter marshes