4-17-2025 5:03am

The Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility Bureau of Reclamation Hosted APS Students for Learning

Chris Edwards Editor

The Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility Bureau of Reclamation hosted Alamogordo Public Schools for a tour and lesssons on Science and Technology this week.

3rd graders across the districtof APS had an exciting opportunity to visit the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility Bureau of Reclamation last week. It was a fun, hands-on learning experience that sparked curiosity, creativity, and a whole lot of questions. The students became young scientists for the day, exploring how salty water becomes clean water through science and technology in Otero County and beyond via research conducted in Otero County.

The learning stations students took part in.

Importance of Water & Water Scarcity

This introductory station covered safety guidelines and presented a video highlighting water's significance.

Fresh and Salty Water

Students explored where to find fresh and salty water on Earth, discussed daily water use, and conducted experiments to measure total dissolved solids in various water samples.

Removing Undissolved Solids

Students learned to filter undissolved solids. They participated in a hands-on activity using balls to represent solids, discussing filtration and the concept of backwashing.

Electrical Charges and Electrodialysis

Students learned how electrical charges remove dissolved solids. They explored the concept of ions, discussed the process of electrodialysis, and saw how opposite charges attract salt ions in water.

Reverse Osmosis: The Special Membrane

Students were introduced to membranes and osmosis through a demonstration with gummy bears. They learned how pressure applied to salty water can reverse osmosis through a membrane, separating fresh water from salty water.

Concentrate Management

Students toured the outdoor research areas, discussed how to manage the salty waste produced by desalination, including evaporation ponds and beneficial reuse options like salt-tolerant agriculture.