Devansh Gopu, 6, urges conservation in science fair project
Wayside Elementary School student Devansh Gopu, 6, is taking the City’s call for water conservation seriously — so seriously that he and his family have not only implemented conservation measures at home, he made it the topic of his Bartlesville Public School District 2023 Science Fair project. Davansh talked with City Beat recently to help spread the word about the importance of conservation.
How did you learn about the City’s water conservation effort?
My dad learnt it from the City Beat articles, City of Bartlesville social media page and other local news outlets, and educated me about the need for conservation.
What made you decide to present on this topic at the BPSD 2023 Science Fair?
I wanted to spread awareness and present how even small steps towards water waste reduction at home can make a big difference in water conservation efforts of the community.
How did you research the material for your presentation?
I looked at the local news about the problem, and I got an understanding about our water supply lakes and conservation tips from City of Bartlesville website. I also used some online water calculator tools about potential savings. And the most important page we researched was the EPA website, https://www.epa.gov/watersense/watersense-kids.
What kinds of things did you learn through your research?
We did a home survey checklist to identify leaks in toilets, checked for water dripping faucets and learned simple tips to save water. I used some calculation sheets to (show) how much water can be saved by cutting down shower time. Little behavioral changes at home, having low-flow faucets, and fixing water leaks can save lot of water every year.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about water conservation?
A small, inexpensive fix of a water leak that drips a drop of water can save hundreds of gallons of water and save you lot of money over time.
In what ways are you currently conserving water?
We cut down shower times, we turn off the tap while brushing, we’ve stopped doing bubble baths and started using only one bucket of water to bathe. As a family, we are also following the recommendations on doing laundry and using the dishwasher only when full, and we run fewer cycles every week.
Why is water conservation important?
Water is not an unlimited resource. Less than 1 percent of overall water on this planet is usable for drinking, cooking, plants, etc. So, it’s important to conserve water, especially during drought months, so our water supply is not restricted if we have years of extended drought.
Will you continue to conserve water even after the threat to local water supply has passed? Why?
It appears like magic that we get water as soon as we turn on the tap, but after seeing some of the pictures my dad showed on how people walk miles to get a single bucket of drinking water in his hometown in India, I want to continue some of the good habits I learnt about water conservation even when we don’t have a water supply threat. It also lowers your utility bill, so why not?
Do you think it’s important for kids to know about this? Why?
As kids, we forget to turn off the tap fully at times, do extended showers, bubble baths and play water sports outside in the yard with a hose. So, kids can save lot of water at home by water waste reduction, knowing the water conservation tips. And the tips are very simple and easy to understand and implement.
What would you say to kids, if you had 30 seconds to convince them they need to conserve water?
Water conservation is not rocket science. It’s just being more responsible in using water efficiently and helping the city and community to get through times when there is a threat to local water supply during these extreme drought conditions.
What is one thing everyone could do right now to conserve?
Commitment to reduce water waste.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
It’s dry out there. Be a H2erO and do your part to save water.
For more information, see Fix a Leak Week Student’s Guide and Teacher’s Guide, or visit the EPA’s Watersense for Kids.
Information and photo provided by the Gopu family.