You are indeed spot on there Richard. The heritage of the modern water industry is almost entirely absent, despite its unarguable relevance to human development. The provision of clean water added twenty years to the average life expectancy and also enabled the development of the large cities with big populations and improving the quality of life for millions of people.
I also very much believe that young people should get involved with STEAM projects (science, technology, engineering, arts, and Maths) These industrial sites should be engaging the wide community and should not be playgrounds for bord retired self-indulgent individuals.
The problems we face today are global, so we need good minds to work collaboratively to bring solutions.