MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Children from the Youth and Teen Center here went to the Nishimi Water Purification Plant Aug. 12 to learn how water gets to homes.
The purification plant was designed to take water from Nishiki River and turn it into clean water for homes in Iwakuni.
The children learn how the plant works and how it manages to feed the city and the station.
“We learned how the water is received by the Nishiki River,” said Codie Hernandez, 11, incoming Matthew C. Perry High School seventh grade student.
The children then went on a tour throughout the plant. They saw the different chemical treatments and water basins.
“Chemicals are added to the water so bad things that we don’t want in our drinking water can be removed,” said Hideo Nakamoto, Nishimi Water Purification Plant tour leader and engineer.
Chemicals added to the water make pollutants coagulate so they may be removed.
The water then sifts through basins where the chemicals and pollution are safely removed.
After the tour, the children went back to the classroom and were able to ask questions.
The children asked about the Nishiki River and how the plant receives its water.
Nakamoto showed how much water is stored in the plant’s tanks.
“I was shocked just by the sheer amount of water,” said Hernandez. “We all learned that we should use faucet water instead of bottled water.”
Water that comes through the pipes in homes must undergo more tests than water that is sold in bottles.
“The trip went very well and hopefully they learned something that they can take back to school,” said Chuck Hill, environmental protection specialist.
The summer program at the Youth and Teen Center continues to teach children about health and the environment.