HCWA Hosts High Schools Students for Water Works Experience

Learning how “Water Works” is a unique, educational and enjoyable experience, according to more than a dozen high school students who participated in this annual summer camp at the Henry County Water Authority (HCWA). The third annual HCWA Water Works Experience welcomed 13 Henry County rising 9th and 10th grade students for an up-close look at the water industry and the facilities, operations, and water professionals at the HCWA.

The week-long summer camp featured daily classroom lessons, accompanied by fun, educational activities and tours of HCWA facilities to provide a hands-on experience of how their water utility provides clean, safe water, sewer, and related services for the community. An additional benefit of the program is to introduce these high school students to potential job opportunities in the water industry.

“I learned about what every person does at the Water Authority, and I made connections with water professionals and fellow students as a result of participating in the program,” says Meagan Powell, a rising sophomore at Ola High School. “It was a lot of fun, and I’d certainly recommend it to other students. I give it a rating of 10 out of 10!”

The Water Works campers enjoyed a tour of the Tussahaw Water Treatment Plant, in addition to tours of the Indian Creek Water Reclamation Facility, the Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center, and the HCWA Headquarters during the week. Each day, HCWA water professionals from various departments and areas of operations shared their love of the profession and how fulfilling their work is at the Authority.

Aidan Livermont, a rising 10 th grader at New Creations Christian Academy, noted how instructional each day was and how much he previously didn’t know about the water industry. “My favorite thing about the camp is how much you learn, especially about how water is purified and where we get our drinking water from,” says Livermont. “I loved being outside, too, and this week had a mix of everything for everyone to enjoy.”

Classroom discussions during the Water Works summer camp included the water treatment process and the water cycle, how wastewater is treated and recycled and how the sewer system is maintained, how the Authority protects natural resources and oversees its green space and properties, how important engineering and planning are to the successful operation of a water utility, and how the public can help protect the integrity of the water system.

Activities during the week included a drinking water taste test, lab testing of water samples, a model of how to build a water filter, sewer line maintenance with the help of push camera robotics, a FOG (fats, oils and grease) relay, a water line relocation plan review and engineering design project, a boat ride on an Authority reservoir, and an afternoon of fishing.

Finally, the summer camp concluded with lessons on etiquette by Miss Georgia U.S. International Shacori Valentine, as well as tips on how to prepare a resume, which included mock interviews, as well as basic financial planning for the future.

“The things we learned really stuck with me, especially in sewer operations,” says Olivia Jones, a rising 10th grader at Dutchtown High School, who noted the trips to the Cubihatcha Center and the Indian Creek Water Reclamation Facility were her favorites. “(The summer camp) was very educational, and it was fun getting a look on the inside of the Water Authority.”

Water Works Summer Camp participants included: Aidan Livermont, Amelia Jones, Aniya Thomas, Aria Riggins, Derek Bridgewater, Emmanuel Johnson, Grace Peavey, Jaedyn Richardson, Jonas De Los Santos, Moniyah Jackson, Naryan Paul, Olivia Jones, and Meagan Powell.

More information on public education at the HCWA, including a photo gallery of the Water Works Summer Camp Experience, is available online at www.hcwa.com. 



The 2025 HCWA “Water Works Experience” participants prepare to tour the Cubihatcha
Outdoor Education Center with the help of Kaylan Peek (far right), HCWA Communications
Specialist, and Lindsey Sanders (far left), HCWA Communications and Regulatory Compliance
Coordinator, who organized the summer camp for rising 9th and 10th grade students.







HCWA summer camp participants enjoy a boat ride on the Long Branch Reservoir during their
“Water Works Experience.”












Tabby Lee (front right), HCWA Water Quality Compliance Supervisor, teaches Water Works
Summer Campers how to test water samples in the Tussahaw Plant’s Water Quality Laboratory.
















HCWA Water Works Summer Campers (left to right, front row) Moniyah Jackson, Aniya
Thomas, and Grace Peavey work on an engineering project to relocate water lines during their
“Water Works Experience.”