#6 Clean Water for All (SDG 06: Clean Water and Sanitation)
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The town continues to suffer from a water shortage, and there are signs on the taps at schools saying "Save Water."
Mina, a sixth-grader, used the app "MizuMap" she created with her friends to display the town's water flow in AR, and whenever she found a leak, she would put a pin on the map.
One evening, when I looked through the old pipes with my camera, a small speck of light appeared on the screen.
"I'm Sui. I'm a water spirit."
Sui allowed Mina to hear the "voices" of each and every drop that leaked out. The whispers of "help me" were as small as wind chimes, but when they came together they made the sound of a river.
Mina and her team got to work. They installed rainwater tanks and sensors on the school roof, which send notifications via an app when the tanks are full. They also installed a sand and charcoal biofilter next to the gym storage room. They replaced the hand-washing area with a touchless faucet and launched a "hand-washing quest" where a light flashes in rainbow colors after 20 seconds of washing.
The toilets are brightly lit, have private rooms that anyone can use with peace of mind, and have meters that show the cleaning status. Local residents can also use the app to report that "Today's cleaning is complete!"
As repairs were completed, the pins on the map changed from red to blue, and then to stars. The more stars there were, the brighter the water spirits shone, and a faint rainbow arc appeared in the sky above the town.
"The more we all value water, the more color the world will regain," Sui said with a laugh.
One night, just as the app's "hand-washing gauge" reached full capacity, a thin mist rose from the sprinklers in the schoolyard and a small rain dragon appeared. The dragon brought clouds with it, gently irrigating the fields and water tank. The next morning, absences decreased, and the time spent pumping water was replaced with reading and playtime.
Mina said at the meeting.
"Water doesn't belong to anyone. It's a resource that should be connected, protected, and shared."
Amidst the applause, another new star lights up on the AR map. Sui's voice is heard.
"Clean water is not magic. It's the accumulation of small actions by everyone - that's the most powerful magic."
