The 5th Annual Fourth Grade Field Trip to the Hartford City Water Treatment Plant was held May 8 for all fourth-grade students attending Blackford Community Schools. This annual event is designed to provide students with an engaging, hands-on educational experience focused on the importance of water treatment and distribution.
The event begins in the shop area of the treatment plant, where Water Circuit Rider Chad Reynolds explains how water is pumped from the ground and enters the treatment plant for processing. Reynolds keeps the students engaged by asking questions related to water facts and rewarding participation with swag items. 
Following the introduction, the students are divided into five separate groups and rotate through five educational stations, each lasting approximately thirty-five minutes. Every station is designed to provide a unique hands-on learning opportunity.
One station focuses on the water treatment process, where students learn about the pressure filter treatment system. Students are able to perform a chlorine test by placing a DPD packet into a water sample and observing the water turn pink. A micro-filter demonstration is also used to show how treatment media removes impurities and produces clean water.
Another station introduces students to the tools and equipment used by utility workers. Equipment on display includes backhoes, mini excavators, dump trucks, leak repair tools, shovels, cutting tools, and personal protective equipment. Students are given the opportunity to climb into some of the equipment and even sound the horn to signal the transition to the next station.
A third station demonstrates the complete process of water leak detection and repair. Students learn how utilities contact a Circuit Rider for leak detection assistance, the importance of calling 811 for utility locates, excavation procedures, proper use of a trench safety shore box, and methods used to repair leaks. Operators explain both repair clamp applications and the process of removing and replacing sections of damaged pipe, including the need for boil advisories when service interruptions occur. The station concludes with a hands-on demonstration where students repair simulated leaks on a service line using repair clamps. Water spraying from pre-drilled pinholes in the pipe adds both realism and excitement to the activity.
The distribution station includes participation from the local fire department and a company that provides a trailer-mounted cutaway hydrant display. Students learn the working components of a fire hydrant, the importance of hydrant flushing for maintaining water quality, and the role hydrants play in fire protection. Students also participate in rolling out and re-rolling sections of fire hose. Depending on the wind direction, some students may even experience a light spray from the hydrant diffuser during the demonstration. 
The final station focuses on water distribution and metering. A specially constructed 4-by-8-foot display demonstrates how water mains connect to service lines and meter pits serving homes. Hidden beneath the display are water-filled buckets and sprinkler devices that simulate leaks and flowing water when activated. Students learn about water meters, meter pits, groundwater removal, and the importance of accurately measuring water usage at each residence. Each student also gets the opportunity to change out a meter head on an actual meter setter.
Once all five stations are completed, the students return to the shop area for a final question-and-answer session led by Reynolds. Students are quizzed over the material learned throughout the day, including topics such as the weight of a gallon of water, the percentage of the human body and Earth made up of water, chlorine testing, low-pressure boil advisories, utility locate flag colors, hydrant flushing, and the importance of water metering.
Each station is intentionally designed to maximize student participation and hands-on learning. The field trip continues to be an outstanding educational event that not only teaches students about the water industry, but also creates a fun and memorable experience for everyone involved. 
A special thanks to Ortman Drilling for generously donating the funds to Blackford Intermediate School for three buses to transport the fourth-grade students to the Hartford City Water Works Water Field Day.
Special thanks also to the following vendors for donating items for the student swag bags:
• Jones and Henry
• Structurepoint
• Utility Supply
• Purdue Athletics
• Peerless Midwest
• VEGA
• Wessler Engineering
• Clearbrook Technologies
• Dixon Engineering
These vendors generously donated these items to help fill the students’ take-home bags and support this educational experience. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible.
Written by: Kelly Gardner
Apprenticeship Coordinator
Alliance of Indiana Rural Water