Harvest water
Build a simple solar still using a clear plastic sheet, bowl, and soil to harvest water through condensation and collect purified droplets.
Step-by-step guide to harvest water using a solar still
STOP Wasting Rainwater! Easy Harvesting Methods That Work
Step 1
Find a sunny spot outside with loose soil where you can dig.
Step 2
Dig a round hole about twice as wide as your bowl and deep enough so the bowl will sit with its rim level with the ground.
Step 3
Place the bowl in the center of the hole with the open side facing up.
Step 4
Pack loose soil around the bowl so the bowl rim sits snug and level with the ground.
Step 5
If the soil is dry, pour a small cup of water into the soil around the bowl to make the soil moist.
Step 6
Lay the clear plastic sheet over the hole so it fully covers the edges and the bowl beneath.
Step 7
Press soil or small rocks around the outside edge of the plastic to seal it to the ground.
Step 8
Put the small rock gently on the center of the plastic directly above the bowl to make a low point.
Step 9
Leave your solar still in the sun and wait for condensation to form for about 4 to 6 hours.
Step 10
Carefully peel back one edge of the plastic slightly to check inside.
Step 11
Look into the bowl to see if water droplets have dripped down into it.
Step 12
Ask an adult to inspect the collected water and tell you if it is safe before tasting.
Step 13
Share your finished solar still and what you learned on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a clear plastic sheet or a bowl?
If you don't have a clear plastic sheet, use a large transparent plastic bag or cling film stretched over the hole, and if you don't have a bowl use a clean glass jar or cup placed with its rim level with the ground.
Why isn't water collecting in the bowl and how can we fix it?
If little condensation forms, check that the plastic sheet is tightly sealed to the ground with soil or small rocks, add a small cup of water to the soil around the bowl as in step 5 to increase moisture, and make sure the plastic slopes to the small rock so vapor drips into the bowl.
How can we change the activity for different ages?
For preschoolers (4–6) have an adult dig the hole and place the bowl while the child presses soil and watches condensation, for ages 7–10 let them dig, level the bowl, and seal the plastic with supervision, and for 11+ challenge them to build multiple stills and measure collected water.
How can we make the solar still better or more fun?
To improve or personalize the still, try using a second clear plastic sheet for extra insulation, set up multiple bowls to compare how much water each collects, label and time your experiment, and share your results on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to harvest water using a solar still
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Facts about water purification and solar distillation
☀️ A solar still uses sunlight to evaporate water and then condense it so you can collect clean droplets — no electricity needed!
💧 Condensation is when vapor cools into liquid droplets, the same process that makes dew on grass in the morning.
🌊 About 97% of Earth's water is saltwater; only about 1% of all water is easily accessible freshwater for people.
🧪 Distillation is an ancient technique — people have been separating and collecting pure liquids by evaporating and condensing them for thousands of years.
🛡️ A solar still removes salts and many microbes by evaporation, but it may not remove some chemical pollutants, so test or filter if the source is contaminated.
