APES visits Blue Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant

On Jan. 9 and 10, the AP Environmental Science (APES) classes took a field trip to Blue Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant in Shakopee to further their studies of the wastewater treatment process.

Because the plant runs 24/7, they usually also give tours to make people aware of the jobs that are available from the plant. However, schools also go on the tours to learn about the process of cleaning the wastewater.

“It was cool seeing the process we learned about so thoroughly in class in person,” said Sophie Sandler, senior.

Earlier in APES, a unit focused on water resources and usage included studies of waste management and disposal. They learned about different forms of waste and how each type of waste is disposed in plants similar to Blue Lake.

One of the goals of the tours is to educate people about the importance of being mindful of what people put down the drain.

The plant uses different physical, chemical and biological ways to clean water. The students were able to see how the water was cleaned so that it could safely be put back into the Minnesota River.

“My favorite part of the field trip was probably seeing the different machines and stages of sanitation that we learned about in class,” Sandler said.