Should every child understand where drinking water comes from?

Many people turn on a tap without ever thinking about the journey behind that glass of water.

Where did it come from?

How was it treated?

Where does it go afterwards?

Would environmental awareness change if water literacy became a normal part of education?

A lesson could begin with the water used at home rather than a complicated chart. Children might trace it to a reservoir, river or underground source, learn why treatment is needed and see why drains are not a place for unwanted chemicals. Access to safe water varies greatly, so examples should reflect local circumstances rather than assume every home has the same service.

• What should a child learn first? • Could schools work with local water suppliers? • What did you learn only as an adult?