SAMPLE ANSWERS

General Questions

• Which water purifying method do you think is the easiest to use? Why?
  • "I think purification tablets are the easiest because you just drop them in water, and they do all the work."
• Which method do you think is the most effective in removing dirt and bacteria? Why?
  • "Boiling is the most effective because it kills bacteria and germs completely."
• Which method would you use if you were camping or outdoors? Why?
  • "I would use solar disinfection because you only need a plastic bottle and sunlight."
• Do you think all these methods make water safe to drink? Why or why not?
  • "No, not all of them. For example, a cloth filter only removes dirt but doesn’t kill germs."
• Have you ever drunk water that didn’t taste right? What did you do about it?
  • "Yes, I drank water that tasted strange, so I boiled it the next time."
  • "Yes, it tasted bad, so I added a purification tablet to make it safe."
• What do people in your family or community do to make water safe to drink?
  • "My family uses a filter at home to clean our water."
  • "People in my community usually boil water or buy bottled water."
• Have you ever been in a situation where clean drinking water wasn’t available? How did you manage?
  • "Yes, during a power cut, we used stored water and boiled it before drinking."
  • "Yes, when traveling, I used purification tablets to clean the water."

1. Purification Tablets

• What do purification tablets do to make water safe to drink?
  • "They kill germs and bacteria in the water."
• Do you think purification tablets are easy to carry when traveling? Why?
  • "Yes, because they are small and lightweight, so you can carry them anywhere."
• Would you trust purification tablets to remove all harmful substances in water? Why or why not?
  • "Not completely, because they might not remove dirt or chemicals in the water."

2. Cloth Filter

• What kind of dirt or particles do you think a cloth filter can remove?
  • "A cloth filter can remove big particles like leaves, sand, and small insects."
• Why is it important to use a clean cloth for filtering water?
  • "If the cloth is dirty, it might add more germs to the water."
• Do you think a cloth filter can make water completely safe to drink? Why or why not?
  • "No, because it doesn’t remove bacteria or harmful chemicals."

3. Sand and Gravel Filter

• How does a sand and gravel filter clean water?
  • "The sand and gravel trap dirt and small particles as the water passes through them."
• What kind of materials would you use to make this filter?
  • "I would use clean sand, small rocks, and a plastic bottle or container."
• Do you think this method is better for large or small amounts of water? Why?
  • "It is better for small amounts because it takes time to filter the water."

4. Charcoal Filter

• Why is charcoal used to filter water? What does it remove?
  • "Charcoal removes bad smells, colors, and some harmful chemicals from water."
• Do you think a charcoal filter can remove bad smells from water? Why?
  • "Yes, because charcoal absorbs odors and makes the water smell fresh."
• Where do you think you could find charcoal to make a filter?
  • "You can use charcoal from a campfire or buy it from a store."

5. Boiling

• How does boiling water make it safe to drink?
  • "Boiling kills bacteria, viruses, and other germs in the water."
• Do you think boiling water is a good method when there is limited fuel or firewood? Why or why not?
  • "No, because boiling uses a lot of fuel, which might not be available."
• How long do you think water needs to be boiled to kill harmful germs?
  • "Water should be boiled for at least one to three minutes to make it safe."

6. Solar Disinfection

• How does the sun help clean water in solar disinfection?
  • "The sun’s UV rays kill germs and bacteria in the water."
• Do you think solar disinfection is a good method in cloudy weather? Why or why not?
  • "No, because you need strong sunlight to make it work effectively."
• What kind of bottle or container would you use for solar disinfection? Why?
  • "I would use a clear plastic bottle because it lets sunlight pass through the water."