Action: saving water at school

Primary

Activity

Science

Geography

Saving water

Australia is the world’s driest inhabited continent, yet we are one of the highest users of water per person. We live in an uncertain climate – it’s important to use water wisely so we have a secure source of drinking water for many years to come.

Learning outcomes

Year F-1

Know that water is a resource and describe how it is used at school and in the home
Know that water can be recycled and describe ways to reduce use and save more water

Year 3&4

Understand the different uses of water and that wastewater can be recycled
Identify where tap water comes from and know what happens when it goes down the drain

Year 5&6

Understand that water scarcity is a major threat to the sustainability of places
Understand how water resources are used and how they are managed

A young person fills up a Melbourne Water branded water bottle at a tap

Things to think about

Why do you think it is important to save water at school?
Can you think of any other actions to add to this list?
What actions can you take home and save water?

How to save water at school

Collect excess water and use it wisely - Place ice cream containers under school water fountains and use excess water in the garden.

If not using the tap, turn it off - Turn the tap off as soon as you've washed your hands. Put signs near the basins to remind students to do the same.

Report leaks - Get someone to fix any leaking taps, water fountains or toilets as soon as they are reported. Make it a classroom activity to check for leaks regularly.

Use a container to wash your brushes - Wash paint brushes in a bucket or ice cream container, rather than under a running tap.

Use a refillable water bottle - Bring a water bottle to school. At the end of the day, any leftover water can be poured onto the garden.

Talk to others about water - Raise awareness of the importance of water by creating colourful posters on water use and water saving. You can even start your own water saving team.

Install aerators on taps - Talk to your maintenance coordinator about installing or fitting the taps in your school with aerators. Aerators reduce the amount of water flowing from the tap by up to 50%, while maintaining the pressure.

Install rainwater tanks - Talk to your principal, maintenance coordinator and school council about installing rainwater tanks. Once installed, you can connect the tanks to your toilets or use the water for your school gardens or vegie patch.