One of the greatest challenges facing homeless dogs and cats is finding a reliable source of drinking water. There are few natural sources of water available in the heavily human-developed environment which many animals share with us. While there is certainly a large number of individuals and organizations in society who selflessly give their time and effort towards providing homeless animals with basic needs, it is unreasonable to expect that they will be able to devote each and every day to doing this.

流浪犬貓面臨的最大挑戰之一，就是找到能飲用的水源。這些動物與人們生活在同一個環境中，不過因為人類高度的發展，導致動物能飲用的天然水源其實少之又少。雖然社會上有許多組織和善心人士無私地奉獻自己的時間及心力幫助流浪動物，盡可能地滿足牠們的基本需求，但我們不該只期望他人。

Another of our mini-goals for this semester was to design and construct a water dispenser that can filter and automatically dispense water continuously for some days. Strategically placing these water dispensers in high traffic areas where homeless animals frequently appear may take care of a serious need, and also lessen the workload of volunteers and helpers.

本學期的目標之一是設計和建造一個自動飲水器。它將會有濾水及可以持續幾天的自動補水功能。將這些飲水器戰放置在流浪動物經常出沒的區域，不但可以滿足動物的需求，也可以減輕義工和善心人士的工作量。

This is an ongoing process that has been delayed by the switch to online classes, although the students have already started to become familiarized with some of the scientific concepts behind this task. Not only did they study simple testing processes to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of a water source, including PH, boiling point, hardness, and chlorine content, etc., they also practiced various methods to filter out impurities. Moreover, they learned the physics of gravity and air pressure which allows their designs to work. The final product will take further development. At this time, the students have a working prototype that will serve as a starting blueprint for the future.

飲水器製作雖因課程轉為線上而延遲了，但學生們對於這項任務背後的科學概念已取得一定程度的瞭解，他們除了學習到如何透過簡單的方式檢測一個水樣本的物理及化學性質，如酸鹼度、沸點、硬度及餘氯量等，也練習了如何將樣本中的雜質過濾。為了讓他們自己設計的飲水器能順利運作，學生也必須瞭解重力和氣壓是如何作用在飲水器上；雖然距離目標中的作品仍有進步的空間，但學生們已完成的初版模型也將是他們完成品藍圖的起點。