FAIRFIELD — More than 300 fifth-graders are getting an education in wastewater.

“By partnering with Solano RCD on education and restoration efforts, we help ensure that local waterways remain healthy for future generations,” Meg Herston, director of Environmental Services at the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District, said in a statement released by the Solano Resource Conservation District. “We value Solano RCD’s ability to connect people with their environment in meaningful ways, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration.”

The second-year FSSD Education Program "is cultivating a new generation of environmental stewards by providing students with a comprehensive understanding of wastewater treatment and its impact on local water resources and the community," the statement said.

The program begins in the classroom, then heads out into the real world.

"This unique educational experience begins with an engaging classroom pre-lesson, where students explore the urban water cycle and learn how to be responsible with their wastewater. They discover the critical role of wastewater treatment facilities and the steps of the treatment process in preparation for an immersive field trip to the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District," the statement said. 

The field trip transforms the treatment plant into a living laboratory, offering students:

• Real-world science: Witnessing the intricate biological and physical processes that clean wastewater.
• Community voice: Participating in a community meeting to vote on uses for unused pond basins at FSSD.
• Habitat restoration: Contributing to monarch butterfly conservation by planting native flora around the facility.
• STEM career exploration: Connecting with FSSD plant operators and engineers, sparking interest in potential science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

The conservation district, along with the sewer district, run the program for students in the Fairfield and Suisun City areas during March and April. This year, 330 students in four schools participated.

The program is ending this week with "a post-lesson focused on climate resiliency and sea-level rise. Through an interactive game, students explore adaptive solutions and then write letters to local leaders, advocating for environmental change," the statement said.

Solano RCD provides diverse water and watershed science education programs for students from elementary to high school.

Learn more about the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District Education Program and other Solano RCD initiatives at www.solanorcd.org or by sending an email to . Discover more about the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District at www.fssd.com.