On Wednesday January 31, Billy Gilbreath’s AP Environmental Science class took a field trip to the Rowlett Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant to learn about how wastewater is recycled and reused.

Senior Timothy Gove gained a lot of useful information about the process water goes through in order to become safe for human consumption.

“We learned about the processes the plant uses to filter out all of the viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and waste to create the potable drinking water that comes out of our faucets,” Gove said. “I enjoyed the sand filter the most because it was interesting seeing the water go into the area dirty and murky, but leaving the area crystal clear.”

Plant Operator Bobby Weeks’ job is important to him because it protects the environment. He has seen several advancements in the technology used to clean the city’s water in his 35 years in the profession.

“The more [the government] learns about the science behind it all, the more restrictions they put on what we have to remove from the water,” Weeks said. “And we get more advanced equipment to test for it all.”

Gilbreath intends to take his future classes on this field trip because of its educational value.

“[My favorite part] was watching the students’ curiosity drive their learning about the process,” Gilbreath said. “I think that these kind of trips will make students more aware [of] just how important our water supply is.”

Gilbreath understands the importance of keeping water clean, and hopes that this trip made a significant impact on his students.

“I think it is very important for everyone to understand and appreciate the wastewater treatment process,” Gilbreath said. “Recycling our wastewater is critical for future generations.”