(Hold up two glasses, one filled with dirty water, one sparkling clean water. )

Scouts, which would you prefer to drink? The answer is pretty obvious, isn't it?

We can do our part to ensure that we always have plenty of good clean water. We can't do it all by ourselves because water may be polluted by erosion of the soil, sewage, industrial wastes, and other causes. Those types of pollution can only be cleaned up by action of our state and federal governments. I'm glad to say that our government conservation departments are working hard to conserve our water resources.

But every Scout, and every other citizen, has a responsibility, too. For one thing, we can make sure we don't pollute the water when we're out fishing, swimming, or camping along a water source. We have to make sure that we never throw litter or garbage into a stream or lake. We don't dig latrines near a stream or lake. We use soap instead of a detergent for dishwashing in camp. We do that, because nature can't break down a detergent as it does soap. So if our old soapy dishwater filters into the stream, it won't be a pollutant for very long.

Let's try to remember that on our Fishing Camp-Out. We can all help to make a contribution to clean water for ourselves and for future Americans.