General Education Classroom Activity To Monitor Copper in Drinking Water: Civic Engagement in Environmental Justice Issues

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Drinking water quality monitoring was performed for General Education science classes during fall 2018, spring 2019, and fall 2019 semesters and for an undergraduate research project in summer 2021 to promote civic engagement of students by connecting science with real-world problems of environmental justice in urban communities in addition to teaching chemical contents. Copper is a common material for drinking water service lines, and exposure to elevated levels of copper due to the corrosion of copper pipes causes harmful health effects, but few studies have focused on drinking water copper in underserved communities. Tap water, fountain water, and filling station water samples from a minority-serving institution’s campus and public parks in Hudson County, New Jersey, which are urban communities with racially and socioeconomically diverse populations, were analyzed for dissolved copper, pH, and electrical conductivity by groups of students using low-cost test kits and portable instruments. Although most drinking water samples collected from the university campus and public parks met the US EPA’s action level (1.3 mg/L Cu) for copper and the secondary standard for pH (6.5–8.5), a few water samples exceeded the standards. The activity improved students’ lab and field research skills, critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and communication skills while engaging students in environmental justice issues. The routine water quality monitoring of public water supplies in underserved communities by undergraduate citizen scientists can be implemented in a wide range of courses and contributes to environmental equity by communicating the water quality data to university or government officials.