We all use water in many ways that include drinking, bathing, washing and watering our lawns, but water is a limited resource. That is why it is important that we all find ways to conserve water every day in every way.

Kids play an important role in making sure that every drop counts. This is why the Bahamas Water and Sewerage Corporation focuses on reaching out to young primary school students, especially during ‘Water Month’. 

Each year the Water and Sewerage Corporation launches a month-long celebration for ‘Water Month’ to inform and educate the general public about water as a precious resource and should not be taken lightly.  One way education takes place is by getting the message out to schools by ensuring our students understand the value of water in our lives.   The Corporation’s staff embarked on schools visits where they share water saving tips, resources, contests, incentives and activities in schools throughout The Bahamas.  In addition to the ‘Water for Survival’ student competition in New Providence and the Family Islands, local offices also celebrate customer appreciation days for valued customers.

The first stop was Abaco where WSC staff engaged students at St. Francis De Sales School and Treasure Cay Primary School in a fun and inspiring presentation on water conservation. Students were excited as they learned interesting water-related facts and answered trivia questions. Students also received gift bags filled with educational resources on saving water.

While in Abaco, WSC also hosted a customer appreciation event for the Abaco community. Radio Abaco took the WSC message live to the airwaves giving WSC executives the opportunity to explain current services and new projects to all those who were tuned in. Listeners also had the opportunity to call in live to win prizes, and all WSC customers who came into the office were surprised with gifts and refreshments.

Once Abaco students were completely convinced that saving water means saving life, it was now time to take the water awareness campaign to youngsters in Eleuthera. Students on the campuses of Tarpum Bay Primary, Rock Sound Primary and Preston Albury High were encouraged to share their experiences of water use and were quizzed on water saving habits. The WSC team then took an island-hop to Exuma where students at Georgetown Primary School and Moss Town Primary School received the same valuable information as their peers in Eleuthera. The students in Exuma were eager to participate in the interactive presentation.

The grand finale was the island of Andros with visits to four schools including Lowe Sound Primary School, Red Bay Primary School, Mastic Point Primary School and Nicholls Town Primary School. Ms. Kim Curtis, a teacher at Red Bays Primary, acknowledged the value in WSC’s student education initiative.

“Our students were very privileged to be a part of the Water and Sewerage Corporation’s student education initiative. The presentation was very informative and the students were engaged and

learnt a lot from the lesson. Water is often taken for granted, but once my students realized what a valuable resource it is and how much our lives depend on it, they are now eager to share this knowledge and their new appreciation for this amazing resource. It was a lesson that will last a lifetime,” said Curtis.

In total, four family islands, 11 schools and hundreds of students were impacted by the initiative to educate students about water as a valuable resource and to encourage them to take action to conserve it. Teachers on all of the islands agreed that the impact of the school visits and the creative ways that the messages were delivered, are sure to make it one of the most memorable lessons ever taught.

“The most engaging and satisfying teaching happens when students are transported beyond the four walls of the classroom and begin to make connections between their own experiences and the wider world,” said Visna Armbrister, Public Affairs Manager at WSC. “WSC is happy that we had the opportunity to speak with and listen to students about the importance of water in our lives. We had an exciting time, sharing an important message.”