| You are intelligent enough to know that the | | | | find? Would you expect more sediment or less? |
| purpose of most science fair projects is to teach | | | | Would your drinking water test be likely to find |
| students how to use scientific methods to solve | | | | pesticides if the well is near a farm or garden |
| problems on their own. A science fair project can | | | | where they are used? |
| allow students, parents, and teachers to make | | | | 5. Bottled Water: Is bottled water really pure? Is it |
| new discoveries together. One of those | | | | better than tap water or worse? Run a drinking |
| discoveries might be how clean your drinking | | | | water test on it and see what you find. |
| water is. | | | | 6. Water Cooler: If your water cooler is typical, a |
| Students may expect faucet water to be clean, | | | | large five-gallon bottle is turned upside down into |
| but is it? A science fair project on testing drinking | | | | the drinking water crock. Might there be germs on |
| water can help them learn what is in the water | | | | the bottle top? Will a drinking water test show up |
| they use. This outline will help them and you | | | | these germs? |
| conduct a drinking water test. | | | | 7. Pet Water Bowl: Pet drinking water tests will |
| State Your Hypothesis | | | | show you what your pet's water contains. The |
| A good example might be, "If I test drinking | | | | pet bowl should not be cleaned right before the |
| water from different sources, which will I find to | | | | test. Allowing your pet to drink from it will show |
| be the best for my health?" A poor example | | | | whether or not the water is still pure enough for |
| would be, "If I drink tap water, what happens?" | | | | humans. |
| Background Research | | | | Repeat Your Drinking Water Test |
| Learn all that you can about what water may | | | | A good scientist repeats tests to be sure the |
| contain. Research the effects of various | | | | results are the same. You will not have accurate |
| contaminants, minerals, etc. | | | | results if you run your drinking water test only |
| Develop a Drinking Water Test | | | | once. |
| What kind of drinking water test will you use? | | | | Analyze |
| What kinds of drinking water will you test? Will | | | | Analyze the results of your tests. Which water is |
| you buy a kit, or simply order appropriate test | | | | purer? Which one tastes better, looks better, and |
| materials? How will you collect the water to be | | | | smells better? From your analysis, do you think |
| sure you do not change its content? | | | | your prediction will hold up? |
| What You Need for Drinking Water Tests | | | | Arrive at Conclusions |
| Students will need Colorimetric test strips for | | | | Draw conclusions from your drinking water test. |
| many drinking water tests. Kits are available from | | | | Look at all the evidence and decide what it means |
| science fair websites. Water Safe Drinking Water | | | | in regard to healthy drinking water. |
| Test is an EPA standardized, laboratory certified | | | | 1. Which water contains the fewest contaminants? |
| simple kit that identifies harmful levels of 8 | | | | 2. Which water contains the fewest bacteria? |
| different common contaminants in water: bacteria, | | | | 3. Which water is best for your health? |
| chlorine, lead, nitrates, nitrites, pesticides, pH, and | | | | Prepare Your Display |
| water hardness. | | | | Decide early how the display will look and leave |
| Predict Results | | | | plenty of time to complete it. Will you have |
| Write out a prediction of what you expect. Will | | | | photographs? Will you have clear glasses |
| your city tap water be the best water for your | | | | containing water samples? How will you display |
| health? Should your family pay money to drink | | | | used test strips? |
| only bottled water? What do you predict your | | | | Most science fair projects require a display board |
| drinking water test will reveal? | | | | to communicate your work to others. A |
| Conduct Your Drinking Water Test | | | | three-panel display board that is 36" tall by 48" |
| Students may choose from many drinking water | | | | wide when unfolded is standard. On your board, |
| tests. Here are a few possible tests. Younger | | | | include these elements. |
| students may want to use only one. Older | | | | 1. Title: Make it catchy - and big enough to read |
| students may combine a series of drinking water | | | | from across a room. |
| tests. | | | | 2. Hypothesis and research: Organize your |
| 1. Basic: A basic drinking water test might allow | | | | information from top to bottom, left to right, as |
| students to test water for alkalinity, chlorine (both | | | | though you were planning a newspaper page. Put |
| free and total), nitrate and nitrite, pH, and water | | | | Hypothesis and research information on the left |
| hardness. What is the basic make-up of your | | | | side of your board. |
| water? | | | | 3. Materials and procedures: Place this information |
| 2. Bacteria: Along with a basic drinking water test, | | | | just under your title in the middle of the board. |
| you might test for bacteria in the water. Water | | | | 4. Data / Charts / Photos: These go at the |
| from a drinking fountain may show bacteria that | | | | bottom of the center part of your board. |
| collect on the bubbler and wash into the water. | | | | 5. Results and conclusions: The right side of your |
| 3. City Water: What is in municipal drinking water? | | | | board holds the final information about your |
| You can use the basic drinking water tests above, | | | | drinking water test. |
| but check, too, for metals and sediment. Are | | | | A science fair project on testing drinking water |
| corroding pipes contaminating the water? | | | | can be interesting and exciting, appropriate for |
| 4. Well Water: Since the government does not | | | | any age student. The results may surprise |
| test private wells, there may be contaminants in | | | | everyone. |
| the water taken from them. What might you | | | | |