DC Water is committed to spreading a community-wide understanding of the importance of water conservation, sustainability, and responsible waste habits. Our goal is to educate students about their local waterways, water supply system, and sewage system through a variety of outreach programs that will provide them with the knowledge to become informed advocates for our local and greater watershed.

To schedule or learn more about the below education opportunities, please email education@dcwater.com

Tours (Grades 5-12)

Main Pumping Station - Our historic pumping station was built from 1904-1907 and is still in service today. It handles 400 million gallons of wastewater a day, sending it down the system to our Blue Plains Treatment Plant. 

Headquarters/O Street Pumping Station - DC Water Headquarters (HQO) is built on top of our O Street Pumping Station. This LEED platinum building has several sustainability features on display, a green roof, rain water collection tank, and thermal hydrolysis used for heating and cooling the building. In addition, there is a wall mural describing most of DC Water operations.  

Headquarters Building Tour

Main Pumping Station Tour

Book Readings (Grades K-4)

Learn about your local sewer system and watershed with your friendly local waterdrop, Wendy! Follow the journey water takes to get to your home and then how it's cleaned at the plant with STEAM activities in all three books.  

Wendy, Where Does Our Wastewater Go?  takes kids on a fun and informative tour of the wastewater treatment process at their local plant.

Wendy and the Curious Case of the Leak takes a group of inquisitive kids on an adventure all the way to their source water as they investigate a leak inside their home.

Wendy and the Water Cycle takes kids on an adventure exploring the water cycle.

DC Water Educational Lessons, Speakers, Visits, and Career Fairs (Grades 3-12+)

We offer classroom sessions that cover the scope of DC Water activities, from drinking water to wastewater management and other things in between (Bloom Soil project and Sustainability efforts and goals).

We also offer EXPERT speaker options (upon availability). Several Employees at DC Water are ready to engage with your class about their professional field and programs.

These experts include:

• Wastewater Operations
• Environmental Engineering
• Clean Rivers Project 
• Trade Apprentices (HVAC/Electrician/Plumbing)

• Lead Free DC

   

STEM students receive a lesson from a Wastewater Engineer 

DC Water attends the CWEA Career Fair

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Activities

We offer activities aimed to get students engaged and thinking about different DC Water related topics. These activities are hands on, fun, and sometimes a little wet!

• River Clean Up - Small portable kiddie pool filled with commonly discarded recyclables. Students will use small nets and race to scoop the items and place them in the recycle bucket. (k-5th)
• Enviroscape - A hands-on, interactive demonstration of the sources and effects of water pollution. The Enviroscape activity demonstrates how storm water runoff carries pollutants through the watershed to a nearby river, lake, bay, or ocean. (3rd-12th)
• Trivia Wheel - Test your knowledge of DC Water! This fun trivia wheel covers general water trivia, as well as DC specific water and environmental trivia. 
• Float Your Boat Race - Students race to push their toy boat across a pipe of water, using waterguns! 

Enviroscape Demonstration

River Clean Up Activity