Melbourne Water invests in future generations with new education centre
Melbourne Water has opened a new education centre that will teach Victorian students how to create a sustainable future using interactive scenarios our engineers and staff manage in real life.
At a grand opening attended by Minister for Water Harriet Shing on Monday, a Year Seven class from Werribee Secondary College was the first to formally tour the Melbourne Water Education Centre.
“Initiatives like this wonderful education facility, which we are proud to open today, empower Melburnians with the knowledge to manage this precious resource now and into the future,” said Melbourne Water Managing Director, Dr Nerina Di Lorenzo.
The innovative centre on Wadawurrung Country is the centrepiece of a water literacy program that will educate and inspire the next generation in how our water can be managed and conserved.
In this hands-on experience at the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee, our young visitors work together on two main activities – the Circular Cities Digital Challenge; a problem-solving exercise that teaches them about the complexities of urban planning, and the Systems and Innovation tour; a guided exploration of innovative water management technologies.
Using six super-sized touch-tables, the students work in teams in a simulated environment where they cooperate, collaborate, and negotiate to create a sustainable city, actively engaging in the learning process.
The students’ choices become a reality on a giant 3.5-metre circular screen where their city is built in real-time and shaped by these decisions. Every choice impacts the town’s economy, environment, and community sentiment over three decades, instilling a sense of responsibility.
“The kids will learn through the simulation that what works for the wider community doesn’t always work for them, so they have to find a way through with compromise,” said Minister for Water Harriet Shing.
Having broken into two groups, our students put on hi-vis to travel by bus around a site the size of Philip Island to take a behind-the-scenes look at how our wastewater is treated.
Throughout their journey, they explore the idea that future cities must be built on circular systems to survive and sustain future generations.
The experience has been developed with a learning outcome framework aligned to Victorian cross-curriculum priorities and will be supported by resources for teachers to complete the experience.
This unique experience aligns with Year Seven and Eight Curriculum Outcomes, Water in the World Geography Unit. It will also appeal to those interested in learning about all aspects of our water cycle, with school bookings now open.
The education centre also offers virtual tours and resources to teachers that can be delivered in the classroom.
The Water Literacy program, which has been running successfully at the WTP since 2013, has been attended by over 40,000 students, community and industry members. This new experience builds on the program’s success, offering an even more immersive and engaging learning experience.
To make a booking: The Future Water Story | Melbourne Water
