D E V E L O P E D B Y L O U I S V I L L E W A T E R C O M P A N Y

A D V E N T U R E S I N W A T E R

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Tunneling for Water explainsthe science behind a first-of-its-kindproject in the world! Louisville WaterCompany is the first water utility tocombine a tunnel with gravity-fed wellsas a source for drinking water.

This engineering feat provides areal-world science example for howearth materials are used, the advantagesof ground water and how science canimprove water quality.

Tunneling for Water includes:• Video explanation: Join “Science Steve” 150 feet in the ground as he explores how the tunnel and well system works!• Teacher background information• Experiments with earth materials and ground water• Assessment materials

Core ContentScience

SC-EP-2.3.1 Students will describe earth materials (solid rocks, soils, water andgases of the atmosphere) using their properties.

SC-04-2.3.1 Students will: classify earth materials by the ways that they areused; explain how their properties make them useful for differentpurposes.

SC-04-2.3.2 Students will describe and explain consequences of changes to thesurface of the Earth, including some common fast changes (e.g.,landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes), and some commonslow changes (e.g., erosion, weathering).

SC-05-2.3.2 Students will explain interactions of water with Earth materials andresults of those interactions (e.g., dissolving minerals, movingminerals and gases).

SC-06-2.3.2 Students will explain cause and effect relationships in the rock cycle.

SC-06-2.3.3 Students will compare constructive and destructive forces on Earthin order to make predictions about the nature of landforms.

Tunneling forWater complementsearth materials, the

water cycle andearth history

science modules!

A Natural FilterLouisville Water Company (LWC) began investigating ground water as a source for

drinking water over 30 years ago with a small test well that pulled water from the ground.The process, riverbank filtration, uses earth materials (sand and gravel) as a naturalfilter to remove sediment from the water (things you can see) and other contaminants,like germs, that you can’t see. LWC uses filtration every day at the water treatment plant;riverbank filtration is a “natural” filter.

LWC began riverbank filtration in 1999 at the B.E. Payne Plant with one well pullingup to 20 million gallons of water each day from the aquifer. Based on its success, theproject will expand with additional wells and a tunnel that will produce up to 70 milliongallons of water a day from the aquifer. The ground water comes primarily from the OhioRiver; it’s just naturally filtered by the earth.

Why RiverbankFiltration?

The Ohio River is an amazing naturalresource; it provides an abundant supplyof water. Millions of people depend on theriver as a source for drinking water; butthe river is also used for transportation,industry and recreation. These uses canadd pollution and contaminants. Using theOhio River as a source for drinking watercan be a challenge.

What you see on top of the river is surface water. Every day, Louisville Water Companypulls water from the Ohio River and cleans it to produce millions of gallons of drinkingwater.

For engineers and scientists, it’s important to start with the cleanest source. RiverbankFiltration has many advantages:

• It’s cleaner than surface water. The water is naturally filtered – contaminants and sediments are removed in the sand and gravel.• A constant temperature: the river can vary from 37 degrees to 70 degrees. The temperature change can cause water main breaks. The water in the ground is a constant temperature of about 55 degrees.• The aquifer next to the Ohio River is perfect for riverbank filtration; every day, millions of gallons of water from the river naturally moves into the ground.

A World-Class Project!

LWC has built atunnel, over a mile long,150 feet into the ground.The tunnel is made ofbedrock and filled withlimestone, asedimentary rock.Four wells that collectwater from the aquiferare located abovethe tunnel. The waterflows into the well anddown to the tunnel.Electric pumps pull thewater to the surface.LWC is the first waterutility in the world tocombine a tunnel withwells as a source fordrinking water.

The tunnel is12-feet indiameter. Therail-line helpedremovethousands oftons of rock.

An Old AquiferIf you took a shovel and

began digging near the OhioRiver, you’d first find a layerof dirt and clay. A littlefurther down, there’s adistinct layer of sand androck and then finally bedrock.Ground water is mixed in thesand and rock.

The rock in the tunnel ismillions of years old, fromthe Devonian period, about400 million years ago. Duringthe Devonian period, a shallowsea covered this part of Kentucky. There was lots of marine life; the remains of the corals,fish and sponges settled on the sea floor. The limestone began as mud and sand depositedunder the shallow, tropical seas. Over time, little pieces of the earth were broken downinto smaller pieces by weathering. Water moved the pieces through erosion; the rock settled and formed layers. Almost all of Kentucky’s rocks at the surface (but below the soil) are sedimentary rock and almost all contain fossils. The most common types of fossils in the limestone are corals, moss animals, snails and clams.

The Ohio River is young from a geologic standpoint. The river began forming around two-and-a-half million years ago, during the earliest Ice Age period.

The rock in the tunnel is in layers. Limestone is thelighter color; shale is the darker gray.

Crews line the tunnel with concrete.

This is the entry point to the tunneling project. Equipment and workerswere lowered 150 feet into the

ground.

Aquifer:

Erosion:

Filter:

Fossils:

Ground Water:

Limestone:

Natural Resource:

RiverbankFiltration:

Sediment:

SedimentaryRock:

Surface Water:

Well:

Weathering:

an underground layer of rock,gravel, sand or soil that holds water

the movement of rocks and minerals by water,ice, wind and gravity

something that separates things

remains of a plant or animal from a pastgeologic age

water that is stored in the ground,usually in a well or aquifer

a sedimentary rock composed mostlyof calcite

materials that exist naturallyin the environment

process that uses a pump and well systemto pull water from the aquifer

materials removed by erosion andcarried by water

rocks formed by sediment and deposited over time,usually in layers

water that is found in a lake or river

a deep hole in the ground that provides water, gas or oil

the breaking down of rocks, soils and their minerals

Visit www.tappersfunzone.comand click on “Tunneling forWater” to watch a 15 minutevideo on the riverbankfiltration project. Travel 150feet into the ground to learnthe “science” behind theproject.

After viewing the video, try these ideas for on-demandwriting prompts:

Prompt #1Science Steve describes the earth as a “natural filter”. Describe how earth materials canbe helpful for making water clean.

Prompt #2Riverbank filtration uses science to improve water quality. Think about the pictures andinformation in the video. What are the advantages of using ground water rather thansurface water?

Prompt #3The bedrock in the tunnel is millions of years old. What evidence did you see to supportthat claim? Explain how weathering and erosion created material for the tunnel.

Prompt #4The rock cycle is a continuous process in the solid earth where old rocks are recycled toform new rocks. Identify the type of rock used in the riverbank filtration project. Explainhow the rock formed in the earth.

Tunneling for Water with Science Steve!

Observe the earth materials in the container. Sort and describethem using the words below. Place a sample of the earthmaterial that matches the description in the box. Record yourobservations with pictures and words.

Exploring Earth Materials Please makecopies of this

page as part ofyour visit with

Louisville WaterCompany.

Color Odor

Size Texture

Shape Weight

Observe the three containers. Record your observationsbelow with pictures and words.

Water Sample Wonders!

Container #2

Container #1

Container #3

Please make copiesof this page as part of

your visit with LouisvilleWater Company.

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What questions do you have? What do you want to know?

Louisville Water Company’saward-winning education

program brings scienceto life with real-world

applications.

Web SiteVisit www.tappersfunzone.com forcurriculum materials in science, socialstudies and practical living.

Free VisitsSchedule a Louisville Watereducator to visit with your class.

Free ToursTour Louisville Water to learnhow we make millions of gallonsof drinking water each day. Plus,learn the history behind thestate’s oldest water utility! Seehow water is a life-line to thecommunity.

Free ProgramsLouisville Water Companyprograms are free. Visitwww.tappersfunzone.comto schedule or emaileducationprograms@lwcky.com