Writing Contest Winners 2018-2019
Third Place, Grades 3-5
Lincoln Collier
Grade 4, Warren-Prescott School, Charlestown
Ms. Tina Champagne, Teacher
Clean Water
Clean water, clean water, from where do you come?
From some magic faucet or cleaned by the sun?
I asked my mom who said - at the treatment plant!
But I still didn't get it, it still didn't make sense.
Did this plant use a pump? A big sponge or a filter?
Or maybe some chemicals to kill bugs and clear silt-er?
Then I asked my wise teacher who said - look it up!
I searched "treatment plant," and found answers, with luck.
I noticed the science, the cool use of STEM,
To deliver clean water across the Boston king-dem.
I saw pictures of Deer Island, and its glorious egg shaped drums,
I read about the fertilizer that MWRA's sludge becomes.
At the Quabbin and Wachusett where the water is first seen,
Chemists test for algae, bacteria, and chlorine.
The oxygen molecules get bound by the ozone generator
And ultraviolet diffusers damage bacterial DNA forever.
Then sodium carbonate steps in to buffer the pH,
The wind turbines spin and generate energy first rate!
Then the brilliant engineers calculate the pipe flow,
And keep all the sewage from running too slow.
The things I learned about STEM and MWRA,
I can't wait to learn more some other day.
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