STEM Career Profile: 

Water Quality Specialist

Are you passionate about helping others? Do you want to learn how to help people solve problems with water access and quality? Are you fascinated with the process of water filtration? Then a career as a water quality specialist may be for you!

CAREER STATS

  • How much do they make?
    • $70,000 (average yearly income)

  • What skills do I need?
    • Organizational skills
    • Analytical skills
    • Critical thinking skills
    • Self-discipline
  • How do I get this job?
    • High school diploma required
    • 4-year Bachelor’s degree required

  • What else helps?
    • Internship at a local public works department
    • Gain experience working as a lab technician analyzing water samples
  • What are similar careers?
    • Climate Change Analysts
    • Environment Restoration
    • Industrial Ecologists
    • Geoscientists
    • Hydrologists
    		•

    What do they do?

    1 in 10 (or about 663 million people) across the world lack access to safe water. Water quality specialists work to combat this water crisis locally as well as globally. They sample water content, analyze pollution levels, conduct environmental impact assessments, study water flows, and even propose solutions forwater quality problems. Another aspect of the work of a water quality specialist involves monitoring long-term regulation of water quality.

    Once a water quality specialist has tested a water source, they must analyze pollution levels and determine water quality using the Water Quality Index (WQI). On occasion, they are required to create/improvise a solution to a water quality issue. Solutions always are required to be safe for residents/consumers and have low environmental impacts.

    STEM Career Challenge

    Your task is to take on the role of a water quality specialist and create an “on-the fly”solution to a severe water quality issue. While at home, you discover your sink is outputting polluted water. Though you will need to immediately investigate how pollution is getting into your local watersource, in the mean time you must design a low-cost and efficient method of water treatment to share with neighbors until the water quality issue is corrected.

    Research : Design : Engineer a solution

    CONSTRUCT:

    Research water filtration and how water filters work naturally and artificially. After you research the problem try to design your own solution.

    Water Filters - How Filters Work

    Life Straw - How personal straw filters Work

    Water treatment plant - Watch on Youtube

    DIY Filter - Sample DIY filter project

    Using any objects around your house, design and construct an efficient water filter.

    Example Materials( you don't need them all, just experiment with whatever you find)

    • - Plastic water bottle or cylinder (water filter built on/in it)
    • - Napkins
    • - Coffee filters
    • - Gravel
    • - Clean rocks
    • - Fine play sand
    • - Cotton balls
    • - Cheesecloth
    • - Rubber bands
    • - Aluminum Foil
    • - Copy paper
    • - Vinegar
    • - Charcoal
    • - Plastic spoons

      • VERY IMPORTANT !!! : Don't drink from your filter. Test it using different dirty water samples to see it the water will clear up. But DO NOT drink the results. There may still be harmful organisms and chemical in the water. Do further research on how to test your water for the harmful substances.

      TEST:

      Pour a cup of dirty water into your filter. Record your observations. What did the water look like before filtration? How long did it take to filter? How does water look after filtration?

      SHARE:

      Share your filter idea on our Facebook post.