Water is one of the most valuable resources in the world. Earth Day is just around the corner and we need to be aware of how we use water. Plants, animals and people need water to grow and live. People need water every day. The daily-recommended allowance of water for people to drink is 64 ounces a day. Due to chemicals and germs, most people drink purified water. Water is purified through a filtration system. Around 1% of the water in the world is purified, so we should be careful not waste our water.

In a filtration plant, water is taken from the water reservoir and passes through the mixing basin where alum is added. Dirt and mud stick to the alum in clumps. Then, the water passes to the settling basin where the clumps of dirt and mud sink to the bottom. The water then travels through sand to get rid of the remainder of the dirt and dust particles left in the water. After the filtration process, the water takes a trip to the storage tank where it will be purified. In the storage tank, chlorine is added to kill germs and fluoride is added for strong teeth. After the water is purified, it travels through pipes under the city streets to our homes.

Water filtration is used throughout the world. We will assemble a water filtering system to turn dirty water into clear water. This water will not pass through a purifying system, so it will not be clean enough to drink but it will show you the process water must go through to become clean. You will need the following materials:

After you find all of the materials, cut the bottom off of the two-liter plastic bottle.

Place the top of the plastic bottle into the tall jar. (Note: the two-liter bottle is upside down pouring into the tall jar.)

Place a few medium rocks at the bottom of the soda bottle. This will prevent the gravel from falling out of the bottle.

Then place the small gravel on top of the medium rocks. This will prevent the sand from falling into the jar.

Pour the sand on top of the small gravel. Make sure you cover the gravel.

After you have assembled the water filtering system; pour the dirty water into the bottom of the two-liter plastic bottle. Make sure the plastic bottle is secure in the tall jar. Observe the water as it drains into the bottle. As the water filters into the tall jar, it should become clear.