A Teacher’s Lesson on Water and Its Worth

This month’s ECM bloghop is on theme in line with World Water Day. It reminded me of one of the project that I had done with my students of primary and secondary school.

When I was teaching in France in 2021-2022, a chapter on water conservation led to a lesson far beyond textbooks. Coming from India, where water scarcity is a harsh reality for many, I wanted my students to truly understand what it meant to have access to clean water—and what it meant to live without it.

I started with a simple question: How much water do you think you use every day?

The answers were vague—“A little?” “Maybe a few bottles?” They had never really thought about it. So, together, we made a list of everyday activities and researched the average water consumption for each (a combination of textbook and internet research):

• 🪥Brushing teeth with the tap running – 5-10 liters

• 🚽Flushing the toilet – 4-9 liters per flush

• 🚿Taking a shower – 50-100 liters

• 🛀Bathing in a tub – 150-200 liters

• 🍽️Running a dishwasher – 10-15 liters per load

• 🧼Washing clothes in a machine – 30-60 liters per load

• 🚰Drinking and cooking – 5-10 liters

A few of them had swimming pools at home, and the amount of water consumption for that made me almost shriek in shock.

The numbers shocked them. “I never thought flushing used so much water!” one student gasped. Another admitted, “I take at least 20-minute showers. That’s a lot!”

Then, I showed them the other side of the world—children in parts of Asia who get less than 10 liters a day for everything: drinking, cooking, bathing. Families who walk miles to fetch a single bucket of water. Schools where kids bring their own water from home because there isn’t any at school.

The room went quiet. They were finally seeing water not as an unlimited resource, but as a privilege.

I asked them to come up with ways to save water, and their ideas were both practical and adorable:

• The “Water Police” – A student suggested having a family member be in charge of reminding everyone to turn off taps and take shorter showers.

• “Shower Races” – Competing to see who could finish their shower in the shortest time (while still getting clean!).

• The “Bucket Challenge” – Trying to take a bath with just one bucket of water, like millions do in water-scarce regions.

• “Pet Water Recycling” – Using leftover drinking water to fill pet bowls instead of pouring it down the sink.

• “Plant & Pour” – Instead of throwing away half-full water bottles, using the water to nourish plants.

• “Sticker Reminders” – Placing stickers near taps and showers to remind family members to save water.

What I loved most was their excitement. They didn’t see saving water as a burden—they saw it as a mission.

At the end of the week, I asked if anything had changed. A few hands shot up:

“I stopped leaving the tap on while brushing my teeth!”

“My sister and I now time our showers—she still takes longer, but we’re working on it!”

“I told my parents about reusing water for plants. They actually listened!”

We made posters to document what we had learnt in the hope to remember an important life lesson.

That lesson wasn’t just about numbers or facts—it was about awareness. And awareness leads to action.

Perhaps these small changes won’t solve the world’s water crisis overnight. But if every child grows up valuing water a little more, treating every drop like gold, then maybe—just maybe—we can turn the tide.

Speaking of action, I’ve been trying to teach my toddler son to turn off the faucet and not let water run. He’s learned the lesson well—so well, in fact, that he shuts the tap even while I’m still washing his hands… or mine! Well, at least I know he is off to a good start.

This post is a part of ‘H2OhSnap Blog Hop’ hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters"

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