Source Water Education
Interactive augmented reality sandbox spurs interest, understanding of source water protection
What began as a backyard dream for Pennsylvania Rural Water Association's (PRWA) Source Water Protection Specialist Kurt Wagner quickly became a reality after a little ingenuity and creative repurposing of materials. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wagner began brainstorming ideas to spread the word about protecting our water sources. He landed on the idea of creating an augmented reality (AR) sandbox to help people understand mapping, topography, watersheds, natural resources, and more about source water protection.
An AR sandbox is a 3D, interactive, dynamic education tool made of feldspar sand, a 3D camera, and a computer with special software to project the image onto the sand. Feldspar sand is highly reflective, which makes it ideal when using a 3D camera, Wagner explained.
Wagner said he bought, assembled, and customized an AR sandbox with a purchased electrical kit. Then, he repurposed a bookshelf from a secondhand store to make the box, which he filled with sand. He also repurposed a camera from an old Xbox 360 to serve as the 3D camera. What might cost a company more than $10,000 to purchase, Wagner produced at a fraction of the price. He used the true Rural Water technique of reusing and recycling to build the sandbox in just one week.
"Everyone has their own skill set," Wagner said. "The AR sandbox seemed like something that I could piece together to create a greater interest in involving Rural Water in educational events and outreach to shine a light on aspects of the water industry, particularly through source water protection.
"I can use the AR Sandbox to segue into a variety of topics like GIS mapping, watershed mapping, watershed management, watershed protection, BMPs (Best Management Practices), and the intersection of technology and conservation practices," he said.
AR Sandboxes are not usually readily accessible to the public and are typically in a fixed location like a college or museum. The unique feature of PRWA's box is that one person can quickly disassemble the box, pack it up into a vehicle and transport it back to the office or to the next educational event. Wagner said this makes it an invaluable educational tool and a free resource for water utilities and their partners to utilize during community outreach.
"Through multiple personal and professional relationships, I have secured spots at large agricultural events in the state, like the Penn State Ag Progress Days," Wagner said.
Wagner said he traveled to more than 10 events in 2022, including classroom events where he spoke with students ranging from fourth grade to high school seniors. He believes the total audience number this year is upwards of 2,000 people. He hopes to expand this audience in 2023 by attending a few more trade shows and several middle school field days, middle school STEM education days, and high school field days.
"My hope is to assist more systems in the coming year in ways that are helpful and meaningful," Wagner said. "Since communities, utilities, and water sources are diverse across the various regions of Pennsylvania, that assistance may look different for one system than others."
Wagner said he truly enjoys attending events and educating Pennsylvanians about the different regions and terrain of their state. He also likes to bring a collection of rocks with him to explain how different types affect water quality and are often overlooked.
He has been in the Rural Water industry for three years now and has worked on multiple projects for PRWA, including assisting utilities in developing Source Water Protection Plans, sub-mapping watersheds, developing various agricultural and watershed-related educational materials, and many other important projects to help protect U.S. water sources.
"By leveraging modern technology, Kurt is impacting people in ways that water-cycle educational pamphlets and brochures just can't," said David Laughlin, National Rural Water Association Source Water Protection Program Manager.
"Incorporating augmented reality into his public education toolkit engages people in a new, fun, and innovative way through tactile and visual reinforcement. As the Source Water Protection Program and Rural Water continue to evolve, utilizing technology like this is key to crafting a message that is impactful and resonant with the broadest audience," Laughlin said.
Wagner looks forward to sharing the benefits of the AR Sandbox to engage the public at educational events with his fellow State Rural Water Association Source Water Protection Specialists.
With Wagner's connections and network, coupled with his resourcefulness, he said educating communities about source water protection has become an enjoyable and fulfilling assignment. PRWA and Wagner have created an exciting way to relate to the public and educate them about our vital water sources. In the future, he hopes to create and package more information to incorporate into his educational activities to benefit water systems and small communities in Pennsylvania. RW
About the Source Water Protection Program
The NRWA Source Water Protection Program is built around small water utilities, local businesses, agriculture, government, and other groups working together to develop and implement strategies to protect their drinking water sources. It is a voluntary, grassroots planning effort that builds local responsibility and creates more sustainable communities. Since 1990, the National Rural Water Association and State Rural Water Associations have assisted small water systems in identifying, controlling, and eliminating pollutants from the nation's water resources.