💦Water

💦 Clean Water, Healthy Life! 

Water is a clear liquid that has no colour, smell, or taste. We use it every day to drink 🥤, cook 🍲, clean 🧼, and grow food 🥬.
Without water, plants, animals, and people cannot survive!

Botswana is a semi-arid country 🌵. That means we don’t get much rain, and the land is often dry. Because of this, it is very important that we keep our water clean and use it wisely.

But not all water is safe to drink. Let’s find out why—and how we can make it clean! 💦

🤢 When Water Is Unsafe

Even if water looks clear, it might still be unsafe. Water from rivers 🏞️, dams, or broken pipes may carry:

• Rubbish and litter 🗑️

• Germs that cause sickness 🦠

• Animal droppings 🐄

Drinking dirty water can make us very sick 🤒. It can cause stomach pain or diarrhoea. That’s why we must always clean it before drinking.

🧪 How We Clean Water

There are simple ways to make water safe. Let’s look at four helpful methods 👇

🔥 Boiling

Boiling means heating water until it bubbles and steams ♨️.

We boil water for 10 to 15 minutes. The heat kills any germs or tiny creatures we cannot see.

After boiling, let the water cool and pour it into a clean, covered container 🫙 to keep it safe.

🪣 Sedimentation

Sedimentation means letting water sit still for a few hours. Mud and sand slowly sink to the bottom ⬇️.

Then, we pour out the clean water from the top—but don’t forget to boil it afterwards!

🧴 Using Jik (Chlorine)

Jik is a type of chlorine that helps kill germs in water 🧴.

Here’s how to use it safely:

• Add 1 teaspoon 🥄 of Jik to 20 litres of clear water

• Let the water stand overnight 🌙

• Always ask an adult for help!

Never drink water that has just been mixed—wait until it is safe.

🧺 Filtration

Filtration means using something like a cloth or sand filter to catch dirt.

You can make a simple sand filter using:

• A plastic bottle

• Cotton wool, sand, and stones 🪨

Dirty water is poured in at the top and comes out cleaner from the bottom. You still need to boil it after filtering to remove germs.

💦 Water Is Precious—Let’s Save It!

Here are some smart ways to save water:

• 🧼 Close taps tightly

• 🪥 Use a cup to brush your teeth

• 🪣 Collect rainwater in buckets

• 🛠️ Report leaking taps or pipes

• ♻️ Reuse water for watering plants

🧠 Let’s Remember!

• Water is a clear liquid we all need to stay alive

• Some water may carry germs and make us sick

• Boiling, sedimentation, Jik, and filtration help clean water

• Botswana is a semi-arid country—we must use every drop wisely 

#BrainyBana #WaterIsLife #CleanWaterBotswana #ScienceForKids #Standard4Science #SafeWater #SemiAridClimate 💦