The Drop Saver, an invention by high school classmates and close friends Unam Halam and Faith Claasen, is making waves at the World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden.
The Drop Saver was created by two high school students from Heatherlands High School in George, Western Cape.
It is a device that may be mounted to a faucet to prevent water leaks, thereby assisting communities in conserving water.
Co-inventor Unam is presently competing in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition, in which students aged 15 to 20 have presented water-based solution inventions.
Tuesday morning, 16-year-old Unam shared her vision for a water-secure South Africa with Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu at a breakfast meeting organized by the Minister.
Between 2016 and 2018, the Western Cape province faced the most severe drought ever recorded. This era taught us that water is a valuable resource, and in order to maintain the long-term availability and supply of water, we must begin implementing water-wise measures immediately,” Unam said Mchunu.
Unam desires want their technology to be utilized nationwide.
She desires to continue educating people on the significance of water conservation.
“I would love to see the Drop Saver utilized on a daily basis across the nation. “I would like to be a part of the implementation of the idea and see it bear fruit. I would like to see it first adopted in schools in my community, then in other communities in and surrounding my town and provinces. This is a project near and dear to my heart, and I want to continue to educate people on the need of water conservation, ” stated Unam.
As part of her contribution to water saving at her school and in her community, she is urged to make tiny modifications.
“A basic act such as turning off the water while brushing one’s teeth can go a long way, which is something our students struggle with.”
We have observed how many students drink water from the faucet and then leave it open, expecting the next person to close it.
This resulted in hundreds of liters of water being lost daily due to a leaking faucet. “This is how the Drop Saver was created,” she explained.
Halam had the Minister’s undivided attention as she discussed the water scarcity situation in several regions of the country and provided well-considered remedies.
The student has always had lofty goals, aspiring to become either an attorney or an engineer.
“Once I began doing technology in school and assisting my father with repairs and creations at home, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in engineering,” Unam explained.
Mchunu extended his best wishes to Unam and promised him of his support for their idea.
“Because you’ve made it thus far, I consider you a winner. Mchunu informed Unam, “I am quite impressed with the invention and pleased that you do not want it to accumulate dust without being executed.”
The winner of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize will be announced at the Norrra Latin Hall in Stockholm on Tuesday. Dr. Sean Phillips, Director-General, and Mchunu will attend the ceremony. – SAnews.gov.za