Tokyo Police shows a clever way to conserve water in a disaster and impress children with magic

This makeshift faucet made with just a plastic bottle is simple but can be a lifesaver in times of need.

Water is an indispensable part of our daily lives, but one which many of us take for granted. While we may not think about it much, when disaster strikes the importance of water becomes immediately apparent.

It’s a reality our writer Seiji Nakazawa had to face a few times in his life. As a survivor of being too lazy to pay his bills on time and having his water shut off by the city, Seiji is always looking for ways to cope.

So he was thrilled to come across this tip in the form of a tweet from the Metropolitan Police Department Disaster Countermeasure Division (@MPD_bousai) which helps anyone with a plastic bottle to make the most of what little water they may have.

水は飲料用としてだけでなく、手や物を洗うなど生活用水としても利用されます。災害時にはより貴重なものとなります。その貴重な水を少しでも節約するために、ペットボトルで作る簡易蛇口が紹介されていたので作ってみました。簡単にできて、アウト… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

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警視庁警備部災害対策課 (@MPD_bousai) November 20, 2018

The tweet claims that you can make a plastic bottle into a working faucet just by cutting a small hole into it. It seemed a little too easy to be true so Seiji decided to try it out himself.

First, they say to punch a hole about two to three millimeters (0.08 – 0.11 inches) in diameter into the side of the bottle.

Then, while covering the hole with your finger, fill the bottle with water. When full, put the cap on while still keeping your finger over the hole.

And that’s it! Seiji was amazed to see that the water didn’t suddenly start pouring out as simple logic would dictate. A little bit did drip out, but that may have been because Seiji’s hole was slightly larger than the recommended size.

In order to turn on his new faucet, Seiji just had to loosen the cap a bit. Tightening it would cause the water to stop again.

This is useful for a number of reasons. It causes a smaller amount of water to come out at a higher pressure which is useful for washing and more efficient than pouring it out the mouth. Also by controlling the flow with the cap you can keep your hands free for whatever else they may be needed to do.

▼ This video shows the entire process in more detail, and is set to a soothing soundtrack.

The police’s tweet shows a two-liter rectangular bottle being used which is more advisable, not only for its size but also because it can be stored on its side more easily to completely prevent any drippage like the kind Seiji encountered.

It may not seem like a lot at first, but when in a tough situation every little bit of water counts, and even the tiny amounts you save by fashioning such a faucet can make a huge difference in the long run.

Hopefully, it’s a trick you’ll never need to use along with other disaster preparedness tips, in which case it’s still a fun way to entertain the kids and learn a little about hydrodynamics.

Source: Twitter/@MPD_bousai
Images ©SoraNews24

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