By: Sarang Agarwal

HWEA Public Education Committee participated in Make a Splash event hosted by Kauai Department of Water on Friday September 15, 2023. Make a Splash is one of state’s largest water education festival. The festival was organized at Vidinha Stadium soccer field in Lihue.

Fifth grade kids from different schools from across Kauai participated in the festival learning about importance of water and how it integrates in our communities. More than 562 kids visited the festival and went through different tents, learning about water through eight different project WET activities. Participating volunteer groups included representatives from their neighbor islands from Kaua`i, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii island.

The activity co-lead by HWEA and AWWA educated kids about aquifers systems. Aquifers are integral to water cycle in every community and hold even more importance in Hawaii. With its volcanic formations and isolated topography surrounded with ocean, Hawaii has scarce surface sources of water. Volcanic-rock aquifers extend throughout the Hawaiian Islands and are the most important sources of potable ground water. The activity involved glass containers filled with either sand or gravel in which water was poured. Small straws represented pipes and well installation to extract waters from aquifers. Small manual pumps represented pumping action for pulling water from the aquifers. 

Through the activity, kids were taught about different types of aquifers – Sand and Gravel, the action of water extraction from aquifers and pumping required for water use. They were also taught that excessing usage of aquifers can lead to depletion and draught conditions in future. Kids were taught to preserve the integrity of aquifers, keeping the catchment areas clean and preserving the aquifers for future generations. Kids were curious and asked many follow up questions after the activity and fascinated about the water supply stored tens or hundreds of feet below their feet.