Grade 5 pupils from Baken Akademie embraced the need for clean water and created their own water filtration systems.
South Africa and Johannesburg, specifically, are going through what has been described as the worst drought in decades. Through education and teamwork, the pupils gathered at the Golden Harvest Park dam to learn how to be water-wise.
Juri Groenewald from Baken Akademie explained, “We are trying to educate the children to save water and to appreciate our planet as the precious place it is. We always try and embrace Golden Harvest, as it is our neighbouring park.”
Diana Steward from Rand Water’s water-wise education said, “Water is precious, we cannot afford to waste it, especially during a drought.”
She explained to the pupils that life comes from soil, water, air and sunshine. This can all be found on earth and we, as its inhabitants, should respect it.
Steward gave five essential tips to not wasting water:
1. Respect life and water
2. Teach each other to not waste water
3. Don’t pollute the environment, plastic outnumbers the plankton in our oceans
4. It is important to pay your water bills because it is the cleaning and purifying of the water that you pay for
5. Take action and actively promote a healthier water system.
The pupils made water filters by cutting two-litre cold drink bottles in half. Some filled the bottle with material and cloth, while others used sand, stones and stockings. Steward explained that the filters are merely the beginning of water filtration and purification but that it is important to know.
Each pupil helped by filling black bags with litter and rubbish they found around the dam and in the park.
Details: Baken Akademie 011 050 7877.
