Education resources
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Education resources
Wastewater
- Primary/ Elementary School
- Elementary Wastewater Engineers Treatment Plant Tour - King County
- Humans and the Water Cycle (Video Lesson)- King County
- Humans and the Water Cycle (Video Lesson with Spanish Subtitles)- King County
- Wastewater Engineers Education Series (Video Lesson) - King County
- Wastewater Engineers Education Series (Video Lesson with Spanish Subtitles) - King County
- Secondary/ Adult
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour- King County
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour (Spanish Subtitles)- King County
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour (Fully Accessible Content) – King County
- Fully Accessible Tour (Español - Spanish Subtitles)
- Fully Accessible Tour (Русский - Russian Subtitles)
- Fully Accessible Tour (中文 - Chinese Simplified Subtitles)
- Fully Accessible Tour (正體字 - Chinese Traditional Subtitles)
- Fully Accessible Tour (한국어 - Korean Subtitles)
- Biosolids and Sustainability Talk - Sustainability Ambassadors with King County
- LOTT Wastewater Treatment - LOTT Clean Water Alliance
- Nitrogen Removal Basics in Wastewater
- Phosphorus Removal in Wastewater
- All Ages
- Part of the Cycle – Tess Martin, Animation
- Poop Cycle – ASAP Science
- Why Flushable Wipes Aren’t Flushable - Adam Ruins Everything
- How the Toilet Changes History - Bill and Melina Gates Foundation
- Family Exploration of Brightwater Natural Area - IslandWood
Stormwater
- Primary/ Elementary School
- When it Rains it Pours Education Series - Islandwood and King County pre-taped lesson
- When it Rains it Pours Education Series (Spanish Subtitles)- Islandwood and King County pre-taped lesson
- Our Amazing Watershed - Cedar River Watershed
- Secondary/ Adult
- Sustainability Ambassadors - Video Library
- Washington Stormwater Center - Video Library
- All Ages
- Stormwater Matters - King County Land and Water
Other- 2021 Sustainable Yard Care Series: King County and Snohomish Conservation District
- Jumpstart Your Yard: tips for designing a sustainable landscape and building healthy soil
- Landscaping with Native Plants: selecting plants for benefits and functionality
- Sustainable Food Gardening: growing food with ease and minimal impact
- Landscaping for Wildlife: creating habitat for beneficial animals and insects
- Don't Be Such a Pest: Sustainable approaches to yard & garden nuisances
Wastewater/ Stormwater
- Primary/ Elementary School
- Humans and the Water Cycle - Islandwood/King County
- Wastewater Engineers Virtual Series - King County
- Community Waters: Engineering Stormwater Solutions - Islandwood/Seattle Public Utility/ King County
- Landforms - Islandwood/ King County
- When it Rains is Pour Virtual Curriculum - Islandwood/King County
- Secondary/ Adult
- Protecting Our Liquid Assets - King County Land and Water
- All Ages
- Drain Rangers - Puget Sound Starts Here
- Teacher Resources for Introducing Urban Stormwater - Colorado Department of Public Healthy and Environment
-
Hazardous Waste and Green Cleaning- King County Solid Waste
Water
- Primary/ Elementary
- Secondary/ Adult-
- Water Conservation Lesson - King County
- Drinking Water Lesson - King County
- Water Quality Abiotic Lesson - King County
- Water Quality Biotic Lesson - King County
- Microfibers Lesson - King County
- Global Water Supply - water.org
- Global Water Supply - water.org
Other
- Rain Garden Lesson Guide - Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District
- Nature Conservancy - Youth Engagement Videos and Curriculum
Wastewater
- Wastewater 101 -- King County (Upper Elementary - Secondary)
- Combined Systems 101 -- King County (Upper Elementary - Secondary)
- Thirst -- presentation on water scarcity
Stormwater
- Stormwater 101 -- King County (Upper Elementary - Secondary)
- Combined Systems 101 -- King County (Upper Elementary - Secondary)
Natural Yard Care
- Rain Gardens-Rain Barrels , February 2018
- Choosing Plants , February 2018
- Compost and Mulch , February 2018
- Basic Yard Design , January 2018
- Building Healthy Soil , February 2018
Wastewater
- King County Wastewater Programs (4th-12th grade; in-classroom and at Brightwater & South Treatment Plant)
Stormwater
- King County Stormwater Programs (4th-12th grade; in-classroom and at Brightwater & South Treatment Plant)
- Nature Vision: School Programs- Multiple hour field experiences with Nature Vision educators at a local stream or wetland site. Students will engage in water quality testing, ecology walks, invertebrate dips, and group games designed to promote interest in water conservation or stormwater pollution prevention.
- King County: GIS Custom Map Products - King County GIS can prepare custom map products for curriculum support.
- WaterMaps – create your own maps of the water in your community
- Map of local water systems
- Seattle Urban Watersheds - Seattle Public Utility
- Drain Games – App store
- Poop Loop – App store
- Let the Poo Thru – App store
- Watercycle poster
- How water gets dirty poster
- How water gets clean poster
- Don’t Flush Trouble (King County top 6 languages)
- Toilet Paper Only
- Toilet Paper Only (Spanish)
The following titles are available from the King County Library System:
Books
- The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why it Matters by Rose George. New York: Metropolitan Books, 2008.
- Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water by Maude Barlow. New York: New Press, 2008.
- Everyone Poops by Gomi Taro. Brooklyn, New York: Kane/Miller Book Publishers, 1993.
- Flush! Treating Wastewater by Karen Mueller Coombs. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 1995.
- Invisible Allies: Microbes that Shape Our Lives by Jeanette Farrell. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2005.
- Toilets of the World by Morna Gregory and Sian James. London: Merrell, 2006.
- Unquenchable: America's Water Crisis and What To Do About It by Robert Glennon. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2009.
Films
- Frontline: Poisoned Waters . 2009
- Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure . 2008
- Explained: World Water Crisis. 2018
- Rotten: Troubled Water. 2018
- Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates- Part 3. 2019
- Games
- Let the Poo Thru- App store
Songs
- Water Cycle Boogie . 2009
- Wastewater Treatment Division Summer High School Internships- King County
- Wastewater Treatment Division Career Opportunities- King County
- Clean Water Careers Lesson Plan- King County
- Clean Water Careers PowerPoint- King County
- Clean Water Career Cards (ENGLISH)- King County
- Clean Water Career Cards (SPANISH)- King County
- King County: Resource recovery (Primary and Secondary) - Links students directly to the page to learn more about King County Wastewater Treatment recycled water, energy, and biosoild programs.
- King County: Online Publications (Primary and Secondary) - This web page is a useful resource for students doing research on local environmental issues. Online publications, including reports, newsletters, and brochures
- King County: Environmental Education (Primary and Secondary)
- King County: Wetlands (Primary and Secondary) - This web page is is useful resource for students doing research on local wetland
- King County: Puget Sound marine topics (Primary and Secondary) This web page is is useful resource for students doing research on the Puget Sound
- Water properties and measurements- U.S. Geological Survey
- Water-related public health topics - U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- What is Nonpoint Source Pollution? - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Wastewater treatment in King County
- Brightwater treatment process website and diagram
- Brightwater technical fact sheet
- South Plant treatment process website and diagram
- South Plant technical fact sheet (metric version )
- West Point treatment process website and diagram
- West Point technical fact sheet (metric version )
- Map of King County water systems , including wastewater flows, drinking water aquifers, and watershed boundaries
- Map of King County water systems including the water treatment cycle (3.2 MB)
Get involved
- Cedar Hills Regional Landfill provides information to school field trips, organizations, and the general public about what happens to garbage after it leaves your home and what happens to all the trash collected at the transfer facility.
- Cedar River Watershed Education Center offers school field trips, public tours, and an environmental education facility.
- Islandwood Environmental Center offers field trips at their Bainbridge Island campus and at Brightwater Center, day camps, and teacher professional development. They also offer public tours and community programs.
- Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust Education Program offers field trips and programming for 4th-12th grade students in King County with high-quality, science-based outdoor learning opportunities. They are also a Wheels to Water partner.
Emerging issues
New information is continually emerging about the natural and synthetic chemicals people dispose of every day in their sinks and toilets. While scientists nationally and internationally study the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), King County is taking several preventive steps to protect public health and the environment (refer to fact sheet).
Downloads and resources
- Fact Sheet: Endocrine disrupting chemicals in the environment , October 2007
- Fact Sheet insert: Endocrine disrupting chemicals that are potentially of concern and Filtration treatment process , October 2007
- Survey of Endocrine Disruptors in King County Surface Waters , issued April 2007
Studies have shown that pharmaceuticals and chemicals in our personal care products (shampoos, lotions, perfume, bug sprays) are present in our nation's waterbodies. Research suggests that certain chemicals in drugs and personal care products may cause ecological harm.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other organizations are committed to investigating this topic and developing strategies to help protect the health of both the environment and the public. To date, scientists have found no evidence of adverse human health effects from PPCPs in the environment. Learn more about:
