Inside the Marsh Machine.
As the days get darker and colder in western Pennsylvania, there’s still a lot of green at Powdermill Nature Center.
The Marsh Machine at Powdermill uses soil and living plants in an on-site greenhouse to purify waste water from the center’s drains and toilets all year round without the use of chemicals.
Water purified by the beneficial bacteria in the plants and soil of the greenhouse is put to use in a living stream exhibit, where the water is pure enough that organisms can thrive in it just as they would in Powerdermill Run, a nearby stream.
Re-using property treated waste water (for purposes other than drinking) can greatly conserve supplies of fresh water, which are often limited.
Take a break from the winter by stepping into the living forest of the Marsh Machine, and learn all about freshwater conservation at Powermill Nature Reserve in Rector, PA.
