Water Works Trip 7/28/10

Fairmount Water Works

Fairmount Water Works was very fun despite the heat. While walking towards the water works we drew maps and took pictures of the trail we took. I found that Fairmount Water Works was a very educational place. While at the Philadelphia Water Works we saw a short clip about the history of the Water Works. Almost every activity at the Water Works you are able to interact with. In my opinion you learn better if u have a lot of hands on activity. I learned how back then water wasn't as pure as it is today. For example back then a lot of people used to die from diseases and viruses that was contaminated in the water.That's why we need to appreciate water because there is limited amount for you and me.

~Zamir Ayers

Water Works

The Philadelphia Fairmount water works is located along the Schuykill river. Philadelphia water department was the first in 1801 in America to supply an entire city with drinking water but it wasn’t pure drinking water. Fairmount water works served as a model for more then 30 other American water delivery system.

Fairmount park is one of the most nation’s larges urban parks, and it was this very park that was used to protect Philadelphia drinking water. Sewage treatment plants in America have turned around the health of the country’s great rivers. Wildlife is now returning to the river which for much of the twentieth century, were used as open sewers.

During this visit I learned 80% to 90% of the pollution in our rivers today is caused by storm water running off the land and bringing with it pollutants into the water ways. I learned this from the video we had watched. It had taught me much about the water i used everyday. Like for drinking, washing, cleaning, cooking, and etc. It is important to keep our water safe for you and me.

~Joshua watts

THE FAIRMOUNT WATER WORKS

The water works is a historical landmark on the walk near the Schuylkill river. It began being constructed in 1812 and was later finished in 1815. The design was by Frederick Graph. The water works was used for cleaning the water that we used from the Schuylkill river. It distributed water from a reservoir to old city Philadelphia. The water was pumped by steam pistons until they blew up and where banned. They then used water wheels to drive the pumps since they can’t blow up. The water wheels were effective but when they over flowed they stopped and that was a setback. They then used vertical wheels and they where very effective. the water works plant got closed down because of the pollution.

~Robert Abraham Jr.

The Water Works Museum

On July 28, my group and I went to the Water Works Museum in Philadelphia. The sun was out and we were all hot. There were two more groups that came with us. We all took the subway to get there. When we arrive there our mentor hand out papers for us to do a sketch of the Schuylkill trail while we were walking towards the water Works Museum. When we got there we took a tour around the museum and watch a clip of its history. I learn in the 19th century water was pumped from the Schuylkill River into a reservoir and then distributed through the city via wooden sewer pipes where the Art Museum now stands.

~Bibi A.

Water Works

On June 28, we went to the Fairmout Water Works. We walked all the way from the entrance of the Schuylkill River to the water works museum, it was a long walk, but it was fun. I learned that it used to be a pipe connecting from the water works to the top of the hill where the Philadelphia Museum is now. I also learned that our drinking and tap water was cleaned there. I also learned that when it rains we don’t get new water. When we went inside the Water Works Museum, we watched a short film about how it used to be more difficult to get water from the Schuylkill River because it was way more equipment. Over time it became less difficult because there is newer technology to get the water from the river.

The water works was the first in America to supply an entire city with drinking water. Also, we can make a big difference to the was the river water looks, because if we stop littering on the streets the river will not have so much trash because, when it rains really bad and it push the trash into the sewer and the water from the sewer goes into the river.

~Shaniyah Brooks