Everyday Life & Technology
How does water reach the tap?
Puschel looks for the beginning of a stream of water.
The short answer
Drinking water is collected, checked and treated when needed. Pipes carry it under pressure to homes. Opening the tap lets it flow out. Its source depends on where you live.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
A little display model with a tap, pipe and collecting bowl stands in the garden. Puschel watches a thin stream of water.
Puschel“Does the whole supply live in the tap?”
Flauschi points to the pipe. Flauschi“The tap is an outlet. People receive drinking water through pipes. It is collected and checked first.”
Puschel“A long pipe would be a long journey!” Flauschi“Exactly. The necessary pressure helps the water flow out.”
They close the model tap again. Puschel“An interesting journey. Let us not send water travelling unnecessarily.”
Little Wusel quiz
Put these stops in a sensible order: tap – water collection – pipe network.
Show answer
Water collection → pipe network → tap. Before entering the pipes, the water is checked and treated if needed to make it suitable for drinking.
Does a homemade filter make water reliably safe to drink?
Choose one answer: a), b).
- a)No, safety is not assured
- b)Yes, if the water looks clear
Show answer
Correct answer: a): No, safety is not assured No. Clear appearance and a simple filter do not guarantee safe drinking water.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Understand step by step
How it works – simply explained
Collect water
A waterworks obtains groundwater or river water, for example. Groundwater occupies spaces below the surface, not always an underground lake.
Check and treat
Water is checked and treated appropriately for its source and quality. A homemade filter cannot reliably make unknown water safe to drink.
Pipes carry it home
Pumps and other facilities maintain network pressure. Opening the tap opens an outlet. Pressure makes water flow; the tap does not produce it.
Why water reaches upstairs taps
Water does not fall directly from a cloud into a tap. It is under pressure in the pipe network and can reach a higher tap if pressure is sufficient. Opening frees the route; closing blocks it. Pipes are connected routes, with pumps and pressure explaining the flow.
The key points again
Discovery 1
Drinking water can come from groundwater: water in the gaps in soil and rock. At a spring, groundwater comes out of the ground. Lakes and rivers can also supply water. Where it comes from depends on the area. The tap does not make water.
Source: [1]
Discovery 2
Waterworks treat the collected water when needed. The steps depend on the original water. A simple homemade filter cannot reliably make unknown water safe to drink.
Source: [2]
Discovery 3
A network of pipes carries drinking water to buildings. Pumps can provide the necessary pressure. Opening a tap lets water flow out of the connected pipe.
Source: [3]