Clean Water Services’ goal is to help students and educators understand the interrelated parts of water resources, our environment and how individual activities can make a difference. Through classroom and field-based education programs and stewardship opportunities, we can deliver information and practical tools to promote the health of the Tualatin River Watershed and bring real-world application to classroom learning. Read our Student Education Annual Report (PDF, 3.08MB).
Request a presentation or contact Ely O'Connor for more information.
Use our interactive website to follow the many paths our water can take from the rain, through pipe systems, treatment facilities and back to the environment to be used again. No matter where it flows all water has been used before and will be used again.
The River Ranger program is designed to be presented by environmental educators to inform the public (children and adults) about how they impact water quality through their use of sewer and storm systems.
The presentation and activity book are designed to provide the fundamentals of clean water in a manner that incorporates active group and individual participation as well as take home activities.
Washington County teachers can contact Ely O'Connor at 503.681.4463 to schedule a free 45-minute presentation for your students. This interactive environmental education program teaches about the water cycle, watersheds, pollution prevention, water conservation and wastewater treatment. The program is geared towards 4th grade students but can be adapted as necessary.
Sewer Science is a multi-day lab where high school students create, test and treat wastewater. Post-lab, students tour one of our wastewater treatment facilities to give real-world application to classroom learning.
Students study water quality, native plants, animal habitat and natural treatment systems at this location in Forest Grove.
Students learn about watershed health through sustainable agriculture, water quality and plant propagation activities. Partners from Tualatin RiverKeepers and Friends of Trees work with CWS staff to develop and present this site-specific programming.
Ever wonder what happens to the water you send down the drain from the sink, toilet and shower? Get a firsthand look at our state-of-the-art, award-winning facilities that clean wastewater from homes and industry to nearly drinking water standards. The cleaned water is released into the Tualatin River and is so clean, it actually improves river health. If you'd like to see this amazing process, join us on a free tour.
Water monitoring kits are available for school and community groups to test water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH levels and turbidity. Students and volunteers worldwide post their monitoring data on the World Water Monitoring Challenge website for inclusion in an annual summary.
The goal of the Challenge is to educate and engage citizens in the protection of water resources. Conducting simple monitoring tests teaches participants about some of the most common indicators of water health and provides a connection to streams and rivers.
When we make our free River Ranger presentations in the Tualatin River basin, our focus is on the Tualatin River. However, a "generic" version is available for groups wishing to spread a positive environmental message to children.
The program consists of a set of 15 posters that aid in telling the story of water as it travels through our homes and into the treatment facility and finally into the rivers and streams. In conjunction with the posters, activity packages consisting of booklets, stickers and badges for the students are available in units of 250. A 30-minute training video is also available to assist with preparation for presentation of the program.
| River Rangers Materials | Cost |
|---|---|
| One set of 15 Full-Color Laminated Posters | $ 420.00 |
Activity Package:
|
|
| 30-Minute Training Video | $10.00 |
Download an order form (PDF, 320KB)
To request more information, contact Ely O'Connor at 503.681.4463.
Enhancing the environment and quality of life in the Tualatin River Watershed through visionary and collaborative management of water resources in partnership with others.
