This week on The Children’s Hour, how do cities and towns ensure the water coming out of our tap is clean, and where does it come from? Then, when we flush or when water goes down the drain, where does it go and how is it cleaned?

We learn about Water Treatment with the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority’s education director, Erin Keck. She explains how the water system in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is mostly circular, from the Rio Grande and back again. Some of the water comes from our underground aquifer. Water treatment centers clean the water from all impurities before it goes into pipes for clean water.

Then we explore how wastewater is treated after we flush it down the drain or toilet. The water we flush and dirty gets thoroughly cleaned. In fact, here in Albuquerque the wastewater that is cleaned is returned to the Rio Grande. We learn about what items we must stop flushing down the toilet, and how we can be better at conserving water in our own homes. 

Learn even more about water treatment at the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority at their website where there are activity books and more.

This episode was produced by Executive Producer Katie Stone with help from Senior Producer Christina Stella. Produced at the Sunspot Solar Studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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