Design a water saver kit

Potable water or drinkable water is a limited resource. Everyone needs to do their bit to conserve water. Sewage is about 99% water so it makes sense that we recycle it.

Pumping Stations pump sewage to treatment plants where the water is treated. Once treated, the recycled water can be used for irrigating crops, sports fields, gardens and even firefighting!

Some households have purple pipes that carry treated, recycled water to homes so they can use it for gardening, flushing toilets and washing clothes in their washing machines. Purple coloured taps indicate these taps contain recycled water. 

Portable water or drinkable water is a limited resource. Everyone needs to do their bit to conserve water.

Households use up more than 67% of Melbourne’s total water use. That is quite a big chunk!

Our population is growing all the time which puts more and more pressure on our water supply. Climate change is also making rainfall less reliable. This means it is important for all of us to do our bit and save water where we can.

Let’s investigate what we can do to meet our target of 155 litres per person per day. 

Suggested videos for your students to view: 

What your students will need 

• A small box
• Coloured markers and/or materials to decorate your box
• Various materials (use recyclable materials where possible) for your items 
• Cardboard and paper
• Tape or Blu Tak
• Student worksheet

What your students will do

• Students work in pairs and design a water saver kit with the intention of gifting it to a friend. The water saver kit includes 8 small items that gently reminds their friend how to conserve precious water in their home. 
• Students research water saving tips and then choose 8 water saving tips they would like to focus on. 
• Students then think of creative ways to connect each water saving tip with an item they can include in the kit. For example, they might want to make a magnet with the word “Full?” on it so their friend can stick on the dishwasher to remind their friend to wait until the dishwasher is full before switching the dishwasher on. They may want to design a device to help keep showers to less than four minutes to include in their kit. 
• Once they give their water saver kit away, they challenge their friend to make their own water saver kit to pass on to another friend.

Curriculum links

Science 

• Science as a human endeavour (Year 3-6) 

Design and technology 

• Technologies contexts (Year 3-6) 

Critical and creative thinking  

• Meta-cognition (Year 3-6) 

Personal and social Capability  

• Collaboration (Year 3-6)  

Related links

Using and saving water at home

Using and saving water at school

Great ideas to save water fact sheet