DECATUR, Ill. (WAND)- Across the city of Decatur, there are many people using STEM to keep the community running successfully. One of these is city of Decatur Civil Engineer Kahlil Graves-Thomas. 

He uses STEM principles in his job when he creates maps and plans of the water systems and compiles reports of stormwater. He also ensures all drainage systems are safe and clean. 

"It rains then that water is filtered through our treatment plants, reprocessed, then distributed out for you to drink, wash your hands, take showers," said Graves-Thomas. "We don't want dirt in the system, trash, or plastics." 

After it rains, that water goes into storm drains then makes its way to Lake Decatur. That water is then pumped into a water treatment facility, tested for levels of certain chemicals, treated to adjust those levels and then sent into local homes.

While the process requires a lot of work, a team with the City of Decatur is dedicated to protecting Lake Decatur and ensuring the treatment process is as simple as possible. The watershed team also helps make sure the chemicals farmers are using to grow their crops stay in those fields, not in the lake. 

"Our primary charge is to try to reduce the amount of sediment that comes in primarily from agriculture ... reducing sediment and then nitrate runoff from entering into the lake," said Justin Brueggemann, a watershed specialist with the City of Decatur.

After that water makes its way through the system, it's sent out to local consumers. One place that water is especially important is in the penguin exhibit at the Scovill Zoo. 

Zookeeper Madison Schoenfeld has the important job of ensuring the water in the penguin pool is the right temperature and is chemically balanced. 

"We swirl the strip in and take it out and look at them against the comparison to make sure the levels are where we want them to be," Schoenfeld said, while completing a pH test on the water in the penguin exhibit.

Schoenfeld also uses expensive equipment to maintain levels in the tank and ensure there are no bacteria or any other harmful elements. 

In each of these jobs science, technology, engineering, and math are important tools to make sure valuable resources stay safe. 

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