Catchment Care

Students are taught how to test the quality of their local waterway using a Waterwatch testing kit. Using simple testing methods, students test temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (salinity), turbidity and available phosphate. Schools can apply to borrow a Waterwatch kit to undertake further testing at their chosen site.

Students learn how to undertake macroinvertebrate (water bug) surveys, which are an indicator of catchment health. Students dip nets for water bugs in their local creek, then identify, sort and count the water bugs found. Schools can also be involved in the National Waterbug Blitz, a nationwide waterway monitoring event.

This is an in-class presentation and activity focussing on managing catchment health in both agricultural and urban areas. Content is localised for your school, so students are investigating local issues and identifying solutions. Persuasive texts, eg brochures or videos, may then be produced by the students to pass the message on to their local community.

Students write and illustrate a storybook on the theme of healthy waterways. The story is published into an A5 school reader and the students have the honour of becoming published authors. The book is distributed to schools, libraries and throughout the wider community as a resource to help others learn about the topic.

A fun and interactive website designed by Local Land Services to educate both children and the community about environmental issues and catchment care.

It's important to us here at Hunter Water to educate the next generation on the real world problem of water scarcity. Our Water Futures Challenge asks primary and high school students from the Lower Hunter to come up with innovative water saving solutions.