Frequently Asked Questions By Students & Kids
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions by students and kids:
- Can I keep live bugs? Can I take a fish home after a visit from Healthy Waterways Waterwatch?
- Can I be involved in water testing?
- Why do people pollute the water?
- Why doesn’t the water soak into the ground underneath the river or creek?
- How do I become a scientist?
If you can't find the answer to your question in the list above, please contact us. We will be only too happy to help you.
1. Can I keep live water bugs? Can I take a fish home after a visit from Healthy Waterways Waterwatch?
Water bugs and fish have special living requirements. It is very difficult to re-create these requirements at home. It is likely that if you kept a water bug or a fish it would not survive. You would also be removing the food source for many animals that live in the waterway, such as platypus.
2. Can I be involved in water testing?
Yes, many schools set up their own monitoring groups and regularly monitor their local waterways. Discuss with your teacher and Healthy Waterways Waterwatch how you could start a Healthy Waterways Waterwatch group in your school. Many community groups also participate in Healthy Waterways Waterwatch monitoring, we will be able to advise you on which community groups are already monitoring in your area or how to establish your own group. Students monitoring outside of the school setting must be over 16 years of age.
3. Why do people pollute the water?
Contaminants passing into our rivers, creeks and bays come from either a specific site, known as a ‘point’ source, or many different sources known as a ‘non-point’ source. Pollution from a point source, such as a pipe or factory, is often accidental or the result of poor maintenance. Pollution from a non-point source can come from roads in a suburb or can come from things like dropping litter.
4. Why doesn’t the water soak into the ground underneath the river or creek?
Some river water does soak into the ground but the amount depends on what type of river or creek bed it is. For example, more water will soak into the ground when the bottom of the waterway is sandy and less when the bottom is clay or rock. Often in summer, when you find a dry river, if you dig down you will find water. It is important that water soaks into the ground underneath the river to re-charge the ground water. Often the water from below the ground can come to the surface and contribute to the water flowing in the stream.
5. How do I become a scientist?
Jobs in science can be good choice for people who enjoy research and have an inquisitive mind. Becoming a scientist requires years of study and a lot of dedication.
Visit the Careers in Science website for information about different types of science jobs and advice on choosing subjects in high school that will help your university study and choice of career.
