Jeremiah learns to save water

Jeremiah loved water from when he was a little baby. While his mother showered him, he would want to stay in the bathtub longer and play, splashing water all around.

As he grew older, his love for water continued. Whenever he washed his hands, he would leave the tap running for a long time as his little hands played with the flowing water.

“Jeremiah, don’t leave the tap running for long when you wash your hands,” his mother would always say to him.

“But Mummy, I really like playing with the water,” Jeremiah would always reply.

This was something that was quite hard for him to understand. Then a time came when they experienced a dry season through the months of January and February. A dry season is a period when it doesn’t rain for a very long time. The grass outside started turning brown, and it was too hot.

“It’s too hot, Mummy!” Jeremiah would often say, reaching for some water to quench his thirst.

It was then that Mummy decided to help Jeremiah understand the importance of not wasting water.

"Well, little prince,” Mummy said, “We are going through a dry season. It hasn't rained in a while!”

“Oh yes!” Jeremiah responded while fanning himself with his hands. “It last rained in December!”

“Exactly!” Mummy said. "So there are times like this when it doesn’t rain for a long while. And yet, it is from the rain that water comes into the lake. And then, it is from the lake that water comes into our house through the taps.”

"I can see the grass outside is all dry and has turned brown!" Jeremiah said.

"Exactly," Mummy nodded. "And just like the grass needs water to blossom and be green, so do we! We need water to drink, to cook our food, to wash our clothes, and to keep ourselves clean."

Jeremiah asked, his eyes wide, "If we leave the tap running for too long when we only need a little water, might we run out?"

"Yes!" Mummy explained gently. "Imagine the lake becoming smaller and smaller because the dry season has lasted so long, and no new rain is filling it up. The fish wouldn't have enough water to swim in, and we wouldn't have enough water to drink or play in because the source of our water is getting low due to the lack of rain."

Jeremiah's eyes grew even wider. He thought about his long showers and the times he left the tap running while he played.

"Oh," he said softly.

"You need to know that every little drop we save helps! When you wash your hands, turn off the tap while you're scrubbing with soap. It's like giving the water a little rest," Mummy said.

"And when I brush my teeth?" Jeremiah asked.

"The same thing! Wet your brush, turn off the tap while you brush, and then turn it back on to rinse. It's like giving the water a little nap!" Mummy said.

Jeremiah thought about all the fun he had with water, and he realized Mummy was right.

From that day on, Jeremiah still loved water, but he loved it in a new way too. He learned that saving water wasn't just something his mummy said; it was a way to take care of the Earth and make sure everyone, even the little fish in the lake, had enough water to live and play.

The End

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