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The 8th Primary School in Sudari is discussing water sustainability with an environmental engineer. They explore the challenges of managing freshwater, the importance of water conservation, and ways to protect water resources. The engineer shares examples of projects cleaning polluted water and emphasizes the need for efficient water usage in agriculture. Climate change impacts water management, leading to the development of flexible systems and new technologies. They also discuss water pollution threats and solutions, like monitoring industries and reducing plastic waste. Water recycling is highlighted as a smart way to conserve water, with treated water being reused for various purposes. Everyday people can help prevent water pollution by recycling and avoiding dumping harmful substances. This is 8th Primary School in Sudari, discussing about water sustainability. Together with our students and Ms. Pat Kosmukhtaropoulos, who is an environmental engineer, we will be exploring water management issues. The floor is yours. Hi everyone! Welcome to Water Matters, where we explore how science and engineering can help our planet. I am Stofi. And I am Sofia. Today, we are talking with an environmental engineer about water conservation, sustainability and how communities can manage their water resources. We've got lots of questions, from protecting freshwater to recycling wastewater and even what inspires someone to work on these things. Let's dive in. First of all, when we look at Earth from space, it's called the Blue Planet. So, it seems like we have endless water. But in class, we learned that most of it is from the water ocean and only a small percentage is actually freshwater we can drink or use for transport. From your perspective, what are the biggest challenges when it comes to protecting and managing the small amount of freshwater we depend on? Hi Sofia! Imagine all the water on Earth as one big bottle. The drinkable water in that bottle would be only a tiny spoon that shows how precious freshwater really is. Unfortunately, we waste water every day. For example, we leave the tap running while brushing our teeth, washing dishes or washing our cars. Clean water is also sometimes polluted by illegal spills or used in places where low-quality water could be used instead. Can you share an example of a project where your work actually made a difference? Yes, my master's thesis at university was about cleaning underground water that had been polluted by diesel and petroleum projects. We used natural and very cheap materials to clean it. After treatment, that water could be used for cooling tanks and washing robes inside the refinery. Great! Are there common misconceptions about water availability that surprise people? Yes, as many people think, water shortages only happen in very dry or poor countries. But even modern cities can have water problems. If there are long droughts, they understand that it's not raining, pollution, or even if the population grows very fast. Some fact about using water as cooling liquid is that one person's question in an AI application creates the need of half a milliliter of cooling water. Thank you so much! We've noticed that people often take water for granted. We turn on the tap and clean water just comes out. But there's a whole system working behind the scenes to make that happen. Can you explain what actually happens behind the scenes to ensure water is safe and available for communities? Yes, in Greece, and especially in Athens, we are lucky because our water quality is very high. Only a few cities in Europe, like Vienna, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm, have water of better quality. Athens receives water from natural sources such as Lake Marathon and Lake Iliki. And the water often comes from mountain areas where it is naturally filtered by rocks and soil. Just like the experiment you did at school and showed me this morning. Engineers and scientists from the company HDAB perform thousands of tests every year to make sure that water stays safe and clean. Behind the scenes, there are many systems working together. Pipes, reservoirs, dams, and treatment plants. There is even a large wastewater treatment plant for our region in Athens on a small island near Piraeus that is called Cytalia. Great! What's the most surprising thing you've learned about water treatment? You might also be surprised to learn that part of water treatment uses microorganisms. These tiny bacteria help break down pollution and that all polluted parts are gathered in the form of sand and can easily be removed. So the water no longer contains any impurities. Awesome! How do you balance cost, safety, and efficiency when designing this system? When we use the word safety, the next word should always be first. Because safety always comes first. After that, we try to improve efficiency and save energy. Because it's also important that water is essential for life, so quality should never be reduced just to save some money. Thank you! Hello! I am Alexandra. We have another question for you. We were surprised at how much water is used in agriculture. Producing food, especially dry reasons, can require huge amounts of water. What are some innovative ways engineers and farmers are working together to use water more efficiently? Around 70% of fresh water in the world is used for agriculture to grow food. Today, farmers and engineers work closely together. Farmers know what their crops need and engineers help them provide water in the most efficient way. Awesome! Are there technologies that have been game changers in this area? One common method is called drip irrigation. Instead of spraying water everywhere, small drops of water go directly to the roots of the plants. We even use similar systems in our school garden. Modern farms also use soil moisture sensors that measure how wet the soil is. These sensors can be connected to the smart irrigation systems that give plants exactly the water they need. No more and no less. In large farms, drones with special cameras can check the health of crops and see which areas need more water. How do you convince farmers or communities to try new methods? Great question, Alexandra! The best way to convince farmers to try new technologies is to show results. Using less water while keeping the same or even better crop production is the best way for convincing them. Thank you! Hello, I am Stefania. I would like to ask you some more questions. Climate change can lead to some regions of large waters. We are curious how this affects water management. How is climate change changing the way engineers plan and manage water systems for the future? Hi Stefania! Water systems are usually designed using historical weather data. But because of climate change, weather patterns are becoming less predictable. That means engineers must design systems that are more flexible and resilient. Some solutions include building larger water reservoirs, finding underground water sources and reusing treated wastewater when possible. Can you give an example of a project that had to adapt because of climate change? Very interesting example is in Singapore. This small country used to import much of its water from neighboring countries. Today, it produces part of its water using advanced technology called new water, which cleans wastewater using special membranes and ultraviolet light so it can be reused safely. These methods are very expensive, but everything is already expensive in Singapore so it didn't create much difference. One more question from me. How do you predict future water availability? Engineers also use computer models and artificial intelligence to predict rainfall and water demand. This helps cities manage water better and avoid shortages. Excessive water from rainfall can be delivered to places with less rainfalls. Also, quantities and quality of water will be monitored and necessary actions will be taken instantly so no water goes to waste. Thank you so much for your answer! Thank you! Hello! I am Mihaela and I have more questions for you. We saw how rivers and lakes can be polluted from industry, agriculture and plastic waste. It really shows how fragile water systems can be. What are some of the most serious threats to water quality today and what solutions are engineers developing to address them? Well, Mihaela, water pollution can come from many sources. Some of the most common ones are industrial chemicals, pesticides from agriculture, plastic waste and untreated sewage. The good news is that nature is very strong and can recover when we protect it. Industries are monitored to make sure they treat their wastewater properly before releasing it. Many dangerous pesticides have already been banned and cannot be found in the markets. One of the biggest challenges today is microplastics. These are extremely small plastic particles that are very difficult to be removed from water. That is why the best solution is to prevent plastic from entering the environment in the first place by reducing plastic use and recycling more. That's great! What is the most rewarding project you've worked on to improve water quality? I was a part of a project in a tiny African country where a lot of poison called arsenic was spilled all over the main port. All contaminated soil was removed until only clean soil was found. All this contaminated soil was packed into special bags, loaded into ships and came to Europe in a specialized company that cleaned the arsenic from the soil so it was returned spotless to the earth. Amazing! And how can everyday people help prevent water pollution? Everyone can help protect water by not throwing trash into the rivers or the sea, by reducing plastic use, recycling and not pouring oils, chemicals or medicines down the sink. Thank you so much! Hello, my name is Ellen and I have some more questions for you. Some cities are starting to reuse created wastewater. At first that sounds strange, but it seems like a smart way to conserve water, especially in dry regions. Could you explain how water recycling works and why it becomes so important? Hello, Elena! Wastewater from homes and cities is collected and transported to wastewater treatment plants. There, microorganisms break down pollutants. After that, the water goes through several cleaning steps where solids are removed and the water becomes much cleaner. Some of this treated water can be used again for agriculture, industrial processes or watering parks. In some advanced systems, it can even be treated further to become drinking water. Amazing! And explain how recycled water can be used? However, not all wastewater can become drinking water because potable water must follow extremely strict quality standards. Ok, I have one more question for you. What technologies make recycling more efficient? There is an amazing Greek word, osmosis, which describes the use of membranes, very thin layers of plastic, that filter out very tiny particles from water, leaving it very clean. Thank you very much. Hello, my name is Helen and I have some questions for you. It surprises us that many people still don't have reliable access to clean drinking water. Some communities have to walk long distances every day just to collect water. How can environmental engineers help solve these global water access challenges? Unfortunately, Helen, we don't have the technology to do that. So, these global water access challenges? Unfortunately, Helen, in many parts of the world, especially in some regions of Africa or India, people still do not have easy access to clean drinking water. Environmental engineers can help by finding new water sources and designing systems to bring that water to communities. Using modern technologies such as satellites and geological surveys, engineers can locate underground freshwater resources even many kilometers below the ground. Solar-powered pumps can then bring this water to the surface. Oh, thank you. What has been the most inspiring project you've seen in this area? Well, I once visited a small village in Ivory Coast in Africa, where the only clean water came from a deep well. The pump was so large that two strong people had to operate it to bring the water to the surface. That was very tiring, but after hours in the hot sun, that cool, clean water felt amazing. It's great. Finally, how do engineers work with communities to make solutions sustainable? Engineers work closely with local communities to design systems that they can operate and maintain themselves. Amazing. Your answers are really helpful for us. Sometimes people are saying technology will solve all environmental problems, but in reality... Let's do it again. It's not working. Your name won't be there. Wait, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's not working. Well, Nick, solving water problems requires teamwork. Engineers build the infrastructure, dams, pipelines, treatment plants and pumps, but people also need to change their habits. Interesting. Do you have examples where small communities change to make a big difference? Cities can improve water use by replacing old pipes that leak. You might see in the streets trucks that carry those huge cement cylinders, use of drip irrigation like we discussed before for parks, and watering plants during cool hours instead of the hottest part of the day. Education is also very important. Today, you're not in school. Your lesson today is learning by doing instead of the traditional class. You're learning things that are new and still not in the books. In conclusion, how do you encourage people to adopt new water-sharing habits? We all need to change our habits. Based in three R's. Reduce, reuse and recycle. There's a beautiful idea that says, we do not inherit the earth from our parents. We borrow it from future generations. This means we must take care of our planet so the next generations can enjoy it too. Great. Thank you so much. Hello, my name is Theodora. Some of us are thinking about careers in sustainability. Environmental engineering seems like a mix of science, problem solving and creativity. What inspired you to become an environmental engineer? And what advice do you have for students interested in this field? Oh, Theodora. What inspired me to become an environmental engineer was the idea that science and technology can be used to improve people's lives and protect the planet. Engineering combines science, creativity and problem solving to address real challenges such as water resources, waste management and climate change. One great thing about engineering is that every day is different. Engineers are always learning and solving new problems. Fantastic. Are there skills or classes you think are especially important? For students interested in this field, my advice is to stay curious. Study subjects like science, chemistry, biology and mathematics. But also develop creativity and critical thinking. And do not abandon the other classes. They are equally important. Great. So, what's one project that made you feel most proud in your career? The project I'm most proud of in my career is a pesticide project in Ecuador in Latin America, a small country famous for its bananas. For many years, bananas there were grown using huge amounts of agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals for the ground, some of which are now banned because of their toxicity. The locals had collected all those expired chemicals, but they did not have a solution for how to get rid of them safely. That is where I stepped in, guiding them in separating, packing and finally exporting them to Sweden, where they were safely disposed of in a large specialized incinerator. Now I know that every banana my kids or you kids eat has a smaller environmental footprint compared to the ones that when I was a kid. That was so interesting. Thank you so much. Learning about water scarcity and pollution can feel overwhelming sometimes. Hello. Hello, I'm Matthew. Learning about water scarcity and pollution can feel overwhelming sometimes. From your experience, what gives you hope about the future of water conservation and sustainability? Excellent words. Scarcity. You might have heard that Albert Einstein said that the next world war will be caused by water. The past. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry about this. Sorry. Oh, well. And are there plants in technology? From your experience, what gives you hope about the future of water conservation and sustainability? And are there plants in technology or community action that makes you optimistic? How can it show? From your experience, how can... Correct. So, how can young people make an impact today? Excellent words. Scarcity. You might have heard that Albert Einstein said that the next world war will be caused by water. Actually, the part about Albert Einstein saying about this is a hoax, but the essence of the sentence is still very important. For us in Europe, it seems like we simply open the tap and water comes out, but billions of people around the world do not have that kind of access to fresh water. Every day, new inventions are developed. So, hopefully, this problem will be solved in the coming years. Just like diseases that were lethal a hundred years ago, but today we mostly only remember them. We are all responsible, and the efficient use of water is the number one way to help solve these problems. Young people should be educated, learn about these issues, and use good practices in their daily lives. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your insights. It's amazing to hear how engineering, technology, and everyday actions all work together. Thank you. Thank you so much for sharing your insights. It's amazing to hear how engineering, technology, and everyday actions all work together to protect water. We learn so much from water recycling to global access issues, and it really inspires us to think about how we can help. For our listeners, remember, every job counts, and there are so many ways we can conserve and protect water. Thanks for tuning in to Water Matters. We learn so much from water recycling to global access issues, and it really inspires us to think about how we can help. Thank you so much for sharing your insights. It's amazing to hear how engineering, technology, and everyday actions all work together to protect water. We learn so much from water recycling to global access issues, and it really inspires us to think about how we can help. For our listeners, remember, every job counts, and there are so many ways we can conserve and protect water. Thanks for tuning in to Water Matters.