Water and its Uses

All living things need water. Human beings, plants and animals need water. Birds and animals drink water when they are thirsty. The fruit and leaves they eat contain water. There can be no life without water. We need water to drink, bathe, cook, wash clothes and so on.

Animals take bath on hot days to keep themselves cool. Plants take up water from the ground through their roots. On hot days plants need extra water. Without water they will dry up. Human beings drink water and use it to cook food. In summer, we eat fruits like watermelons and oranges. These contain lots of water. We also need water for bathing and to wash clothes. Our bodies contain water. On a very hot day, we lose some of it as sweat. Sweating is a way of cooling our bodies.

Sources of water:

We get water from rain. Rainwater fills lakes, ponds, rivers and seas. We can see water on the surface of the earth. This is called surface water.

Canals and dams are built to use surface water. Some rainwater seeps into the ground. This is called groundwater. We get groundwater from wells and pumps. Tap water comes from both ground and surface water. 

Drinking water:

The water we drink and use must be clean. Water from lakes, rivers and ponds is not clean enough to drink. Water from rivers and lakes may contain germs, dust and dirt that can make us fall sick. Often, this happens because people throw rubbish into the river. They may use the same water for washing clothes, for bathing or cleaning animals. This water is not fit to use. It is polluted.

In every city there are waterworks. Water is taken from a nearby river or lake. Water has to be cleaned before it reaches the taps in our homes. The dirt is removed. Medicine is added to kill germs. Often we filter the water again at home. In most homes, people filter the water. They pour it through a thin cloth or they use a water filter. This removes any dirt in the water. Sometimes we also boil the water before we drink. It is safe to drink. The dirt has to be removed and the germs have to be killed. This is done by the city water supply.

Saving water:

Water is precious. If we waste it, there will not be enough for everyone. Earlier we learnt that very little of the earth's water is there for our use. Many people have to store water and use it carefully. There are many ways to save water.
Turn off the taps after using them.

Get leaking taps and pipes repaired.

Do not let the tap run when you brush your teeth.

Water the plants with the water left in your water bottles.

Second Grade

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