Clean Water and Sanitation Science Projects (Page 3)

Macroinvertebrates as Indicators of Pollution

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

In this science project, you will collect macroinvertebrate samples from multiple points along a body of water, ideally a small creek or stream, and test the pollution burden and biodiversity of small organisms or insects to see if pollution impacts biodiversity. Read more

Chemical Analysis of Rainwater

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Here is an interesting project that could be approached from several different scientific angles: Environmental Science, Weather & Atmosphere, Chemistry, or Plant Biology. You can probably think of your own variations to emphasize the scientific area that most interests you. Read more

Water from Air: Experimenting with Dew Traps

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Most of us live in areas where sources of water exist nearby as oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, reservoirs, wells, or even underground streams. But in some places, like the desert, water is hard to find and a precious resource. In this environmental engineering science project, you will investigate one way that people living in arid regions can collect water inexpensively: dew traps. Read more

Clean Up The Water with a Trash-Skimming Robot

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

Engineers are trying to tackle the world's ocean pollution problem using robots. Some robots, like Mr. Trash Wheel and the ship featured in this Mark Rober video, are stationary and collect trash as it flows out of rivers before it gets into the ocean. Others, like the Jellyfishbot, are mobile and can squeeze into narrower spaces to collect trash: Can you build and test your own trash-skimming robot? If you do not have access to a natural body of water to test it in, you can use a bathtub or a… Read more

Can Water Plants Be Used to Determine Water Quality?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Some plants grow only in water-logged environments. These plants are usually native to wetlands and are important for the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. Wetland ecosystems are very fragile and susceptible to the toxic dumping of sewage and fertilizer run-off from neighboring farm land. One very common aquatic plant called duckweed inhabits many wetland marshes. Duckweed grows by asexual reproduction and floats at the surface of the water with tiny roots extending into the water below.… Read more

Runoff and Fertilizer Use

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Many people routinely use fertilizer for crops, gardens, and lawns. What people don't know is that each time they apply fertilizer, the fertilizer seeps through the soil into the water table. This can eventually lead to the contamination of a local water source, like a stream, pond, lake, bay, or ocean. This is an especially big problem for agricultural practices that frequently use large amounts of fertilizer on fields that are connected by irrigation channels. The run-off of fertilizer… Read more

From Your John to the School Lawn: Is Recycled Water Really Safe?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Reclaimed (treated) wastewater can be used for many purposes, including landscape watering and freeing up valuable fresh water for other purposes (like drinking water). It's a great way to conserve water, but is it really safe? This science fair project is designed to find out. Read more

Explore the Effects of pH on Lead Testing.

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Lead is a very hazardous element. Even very small amounts can cause health problems, especially in babies and young children. One way to determine if a household item, such as a toy or a piece of jewelry, contains lead is to soak the item in a solution, and then test the solution for lead that might have leached out of the item. The goal of this chemistry science fair project is to determine how varying the pH of the test solution affects its ability to dissolve lead, which is a critical step… Read more

Water-Wise: Building a Rainwater Collection System

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

We are all familiar with the nursery rhyme, "Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day...", or the song "Singin' in the Rain." Numerous songs and stories describe our feelings about rain. Why so many? Because we humans understand how important rain is to our well-being. Rainfall, as part of the water cycle, brings water back to Earth that had previously evaporated or transpired from the surface. When water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into clouds and falls back to Earth as rain,… Read more

Do Plants Promote Pesticide Breakdown?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When pesticides are applied to protect crops, run-off of potentially harmful pesticides is a major problem. Can water plants such as hardstem bulrush, common cattail, parrotfeather and smooth scouring rush promote pesticide breakdown? If so, diversion of irrigation run-off into plant-filled ponds could help reduce pesticide pollution. Mix malathion at 12.5% of the recommended application strength (to simulate dilution by rain or irrigation water). Use 5-gallon buckets for testing various… Read more

Clean Water and Sanitation Science Projects (30 results)

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