Exploring Groundwater Contamination

Lab Investigation

Visualize the potential contamination of groundwater.

Construct a mini-groundwater simulation model showing the movement of a simulated, colored pollutant. Determine under what conditions contamination occurs from a variety of sources such as spills, farms, and buried tanks and how polluted groundwater eventually reaches the drinking water supply. In the process, students learn about the water cycle, water quality, ppm and ppb pollutant contamination, porosity of soils, and other related concepts.

Accommodates class size of 40 students.