Down the Drain provides pupils with a true-to-life scenario based on factual information provided by Southern Water. Pupils are asked to prepare for and debate a topical issue - the building of a new wastewater treatment works. The south coast location and local scenario are both fictitious but highly realistic. For the purposes of the debate, pupils are allocated to one of six interest groups and asked to represent the views of that group.

As they work through the wealth of material presented, they will, hopefully, learn about local services, residents' rights, environmental considerations and the need to become 'informed citizens' making 'informed choices.'

The project is designed to run for six to eight weeks (depending on the length of each lesson), and may take place in citizenship lessons, tutorial time, or PSHE according to the timetable arrangements for your school.

The debate itself will probably take a half-day. Time will restrict what pupils can present during the debate so pupils should have the opportunity to present all the materials they have prepared at an open visitors' session before or after the debate or in a separate session.

Click here to view the Classroom Resources

This Water Wise Teaching Resource has been developed by Southern Water to support the teaching of a theme focusing on citizenship and sustainability at Key Stage 3 (11-14 year olds)

Two online resources, 'Down the Drain' and 'A Drip in Time', encourage pupils to research the facts behind real-life issues and to communicate fact and opinion to a wider audience.

An online interactive wastewater treatment works allows pupils to explore how wastewater is treated before being returned to the environment.

Comprehensive background materials, accompanying teachers' notes and other resources, including a water audit spreadsheet, can be downloaded by all UK secondary schools from this site to support the teaching of citizenship and sustainability.