How Does the Water Get Clean? Troy Students Get a First-Hand Look

Budding engineers got a scientist-eye-view of Avon Lake drinking water with Avon Lake Municipal Utilities (ALMU) chemist Ted Popiel and Chief Utility Executive Todd Danielson last week.

Troy Intermediate students toured the Avon Lake's water and wastewater plants before heading back to class to learn more about the plants which serve more than 200,000 people in seven counties, their drinking water.

The day included students conducting their own water filtration experiment in class and observing wastewater recycling with Danielson in addition to learning how water is pulled in from Lake Erie and treated at the plant before heading out to homes and businesses.

Troy students had the chance to watch the sludge press machine in action, extracting water from sludge, saving Avon Lakers thousands of dollars each year, then hold a “filter cake,” the result of the filter press.

ALMU is currently researching more sustainable uses for this cake and hopes to soon provide it to farmers for use as a natural fertilizer. Such a move could help reduce Lake Erie’s current algae problems, ALMU representatives said.