Two Chapel Hill High School students participated in the inaugural Youth Water Academy, a weekly program hosted by the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) during the month of April.
Chapel Hill High School freshmen Yuhao Xu and Emily Rajappan were accepted to the program, which only had 12 spots for students.
“Although I have passed by OWASA on Jones Ferry Road many times, I never understood the complexity and the vital role of OWASA to Chapel Hill and Carrboro,” Rajappan said.
OWASA wants to supply local youth with water education.
“We know that young people will be the guardians of this valuable natural resource in the future, so we wanted to provide education to support their sustainability and leadership activities,” OWASA Communications and Community Relations Officer Linda Low said.
Rajappan became interested in water and wastewater systems after visiting India.
“My dad is from India, where water resources are very limited and polluted,” Rajappan said. “When I made a trip to India, I was able to understand the privilege of living in Chapel Hill with clean water.”
Xu had previously toured a water facility in China, but still had questions about water and wastewater systems, so he was interested in attending the Youth Water Academy.
Participants in the program had the opportunity to tour facilities and learn about water processing, water conservation and jobs in the industry.
“Students gained a unique, hands-on perspective of how different functions—such as science, engineering, construction, customer service and more—come together to deliver the community’s water system,” Low said.
AP Environmental Science teacher Alan Rissberger considers it important for students to learn about water conservation.
“Outreach is essential,” Rissberger said.
OWASA created the program in response to demands from the community.
“OWASA has received many requests from students, teachers and parents for educational information about the science and sustainability of water, so we knew there would be a thirst for water education,” Low said.
At the end of the academy, the students became OWASA ambassadors. Ambassadors will give a presentation about water and wastewater systems to their school or community and identify opportunities to teach others about water education.
OWASA received positive feedback from participants this year and currently plans on continuing the Youth Water Academy next year.
