Wastewater gurus
Saratoga students wet their curiosity with wastewater
By ADAM STEWART Staff Reporter
Tenth-grader Gunnar Guddal and his project partner, ninth-grader Amanda Bye, work to seal “occasional leaks” on their wastewater treatment plant. PHOTO BY ADAM STEWART | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS
In applying the scientific method to their wastewater treatment model, Saratoga School students Gunnar Guddal and Amanda Bye learned that the process involves “a lot of trial and error, which included mostly error,” said Bye.
However, the apparatus works, and it’s given Guddal, 16, and Bye, 15, the opportunity to share their knowledge with other students at school.
The budding wastewater gurus have given six presentations to fellow students during scheduled classes in the Stanwood Camano School District parent-partnership program.
“It’s pretty simple when you get into it,” said Guddal.
He and Bye were given the task to design a functional water treatment facility. Instead of limiting the project to the design aspect, the two decided to construct a working model out of household materials.
A conglomeration of yogurt containers, fountain pumps, ultraviolet lamps, bowls, tubes and even popsicle sticks ensued, mimicking real aspects of full-scale wastewater operations in Stanwood and Everett.
Prior to completing their design, Guddal and Bye toured both facilities and rubbed elbows with experts.
“Our model follows a combination of the standard procedures from both treatment plants,” said Guddal.
From a sediment tank and filters, to two stages of disinfection, the students’ apparatus “kinda grew” after more than 40 hours of construction, said Bye.
As the project grew, so did the attention from teachers and classmates. The two are being recognized for their hard work, ingenuity and leadership by the Stanwood Camano Rotary Club this month as Students of the Quarter.
“Amanda and Gunnar are the right nomination,” said Lead Teacher Curt Chester. “They show the qualities we look for in students by taking initiative beyond the classroom.”
Both Guddal and Bye now have a new appreciation for the treatment of water.
“Wastewater can be anything from runoff to sewage and industrial waste,” said Bye.
“How it’s treated, turned out to be strangely interesting,” said Guddal. “It’s cool.”
