Today was my turn to manage the water system for our community. 67 people depend on me for clean water. Yesterday, it was Jasper’s job, and he showed me how everything works. I was nervous at first, but also proud. Water is life, and today, I’m in charge of keeping it safe for everyone.

It rained overnight, which is always a relief. Rain means our tanks get a fresh refill. After breakfast, I headed out to inspect the collection system. The first flush diverter was doing its thing, keeping the initial dirty water out of the tanks. But when I checked the sediment filter, my heart sank. It was completely clogged.

Jasper told me yesterday, “If this filter backs up, the water will overflow, and we could lose the rain we worked so hard to collect.” Worse, if the filter isn’t cleaned, dirty water might sneak into the tanks, and that could send us all to the hospital.

So, I grabbed the cleaning tools and got to work. It was my first time doing this on my own, and I was a bit clumsy. Water splashed everywhere, and the leaves stuck in the filter were slimy and gross. But I reminded myself: “67 people are counting on me.”

After a sweaty half hour and a few laughs with Jasper, who came by to check on me, I got the system running again. Water flowed smoothly into the tanks, and I was so proud. I did it! Our community will have clean water today, thanks to me.

• Have you ever thought about where the water you drink comes from?
• Imagine you’re responsible for clean water for your family or friends. What’s the first thing you would check?
• How would you feel if something went wrong and you had to fix it quickly?