Creating a waste water management working model with paper cups and cardboard can be a great way to understand the process of waste water treatment.
Here’s a simple model with five steps:
Materials Needed:
- Cardboard (for the base and separators)
- Paper cups (5 or more)
- Marker
- Water (for demonstration)
- Gravel or small stones
- Sand
- Activated charcoal (optional)
- Plastic or glass container (to represent the final treated water)
Steps by Step Video Instructions water purification working model – waste water management model :
1. Primary Filtration:
- Draw a line on the cardboard to divide it into two sections.
- Place the first paper cup in one section and label it “Primary Filtration.”
- Fill this cup with gravel or small stones to act as a coarse filter.
- Pour water mixed with dirt and debris into this cup. Observe as the stones catch large particles, representing primary filtration.
2. Secondary Filtration:
- Draw another line on the cardboard to create a third section.
- Place the second paper cup in this section and label it “Secondary Filtration.”
- Fill this cup with sand to act as a finer filter.
- Pour the water from the first cup (now with finer particles) into this cup. The sand filters out smaller particles, representing secondary filtration.
3. Tertiary Filtration:
- Create another section with a line on the cardboard.
- Place the third paper cup in this section and label it “Tertiary Filtration.”
- Fill this cup with activated charcoal (if available) or clean sand.
- Pour the water from the second cup (now with dissolved impurities) into this cup. The charcoal or sand filters out dissolved impurities, representing tertiary filtration.
4. Disinfection:
- Draw another line on the cardboard to divide it into two final sections.
- Place the fourth paper cup in one of these sections and label it “Disinfection.”
- Fill this cup with clean water or water mixed with disinfectant (like bleach, if safe for demonstration).
- Pour the water from the third cup (now mostly clean but still potentially containing harmful microorganisms) into this cup. The disinfectant kills the remaining pathogens, representing disinfection.
5. Treated Water:
- Create the final section on the cardboard.
- Place the fifth paper cup in this section and label it “Treated Water.”
- Pour the water from the fourth cup (now treated and safe for use) into this cup.
- Place a plastic or glass container under this cup to collect the treated water.
This waste water management model demonstrates the basic steps involved in treating wastewater, making it an informative and interactive learning experience.