Water Heroes Program

Lesson 1: Water as an Important Natural Resource

Supplies Needed for this Lesson

1. Water Heroes: How Much Water Do You Use Activity Sheet�
2. Google Cardboard Headsets �
3. Water Heroes: Water Quality Testing Kit

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WATER SURVEY

DIRECTIONS: RATE HOW EASY IT IS FOR YOU TO GET CLEAN DRINKING WATER.

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1 = EASY

2 = DIFFICULT

The Source | charity: water VR Video

Scan the QR code with your smart phone to view the video. You can view the video with or without a Google Cardboard headset.

�If viewing with a headset, tap the Google Cardboard logo (goggles icon) on your phone’s screen. Insert your phone into the headset and attach the Velcro straps to begin viewing. �

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You can also view the video from: �https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlVIsVfWwS4

VR Video Recap

1. Some places on Earth DO NOT have easy access to clean water. �
2. We ALL depend on access to clean water.

A natural resource is a material or substance such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used by humans. Natural resources are limited.

Common uses for water.

How much water do you use?

The average person in the U.S. uses �100 gallons of water per day.

16x

The United States has a population size of 332 million. If everyone in the U.S. uses 100 gallons of water per day, that amounts to 33,200,000,000 gallons of water.

ENERGY��1) Water is needed to cool the power producing equipment. ��2) 143 billion gallons of water per day in the U.S. for energy production.��

AGRICULTURE��1) Water is used for irrigation, pesticide and fertilizer applications, crop cooling, and frost control.

�2) 70% of all the world’s freshwater is used for agriculture.�

Both power plants in the USVI are in close proximity to large bodies of water.

St. Thomas�Randolph Harley Power Plant

St. Croix�Richmond Power Plant

GROUNDWATER IS IMPORTANT

Groundwater is used in a lot of applications; however, we must remember that it is a limited natural resource.��Groundwater is replenished during heavy rains, snowmelt, etc.

It’s easy to forget how accessible water has become in developed countries.

“1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to clean, drinking water and 2.7 billion people find water scarce for at least 1 month out of the year.” – World Wildlife Fund

Water Scarcity is Closer Than You Think�Shortages in Water Can Have Immediate Consequences

Colorado River, United States - 2021

Has negative effects on water availability by disrupting weather patterns. In some places, there’s either too much water which results in flooding or not enough water which results in fires and droughts.

Climate �Change

Inland flooding

Forest fires

More frequent intense storms

Droughts

Increased temperatures

Melting glaciers

Water Availability Impacted in the USVI

The influx of sargassum washing on our shorelines clogged the WAPA desalination plant thus limiting the amount of water WAPA could provide to residents on St. Croix. ��https://stcroixsource.com/2022/07/24/bryan-declares-state-of-emergency-over-sargassum-seaweed-inundation/

Sargassum seaweed

Desalination plant

Water is an important natural resource, found on Earth that supports life for 8 billion humans.

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Here’s how you can reduce your water usage at home:

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• Turn off the faucet when not in use,
• Take shorter showers,
• Water plants during cooler parts of the day

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Let’s Recap

• 71% of Earth is covered by water.
• Water is a natural resource that is limited but supports life for approximately 8 billion humans.
• Most of the available ground water on Earth is used for energy production, agriculture, and livestock farming.
• Climate change is affecting water availability; however, there are things we can do to reduce how much water we use/waste.

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What’s Next?

AT HOME

• Activity Sheet #1: How much water do you use
• Collect a water sample from home using the 15ml centrifuge tube. Water should be collected from the sink faucet (not the toilet).

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FOR TOMORROW

• Water Quality – Lesson 2: We will conduct a water quality test on our collected water sample from home. �DON’T FORGET YOUR WATER SAMPLE

Water Heroes Program

Lesson 1: Water as an Important Natural Resource