Editor's Note: This blog was originally posted on Think at the Sink, a public education arm of Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities Department. Here at MSWmag.com, we thought it was a clever way to incorporate pop culture into water conservation education. Plus, we know there are at least a few of you catching Pokemon at your water and wastewater treatment plants! Use this idea as inspiration for your public relations efforts.

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I am one of the millions of people choosing to live in augmented reality — through Pokemon Go. While racking up steps to hatch an egg (Really? Another Pidgey?), my mind wandered to what the world would be like if Pokemon were real. Instead of battling other Pokemon, could they battle real-world problems? Clean water or the lack thereof is a real problem. Practicing water efficiency is an action we can all take to prolong our local water supplies. Imagine if Pokemon could be used to protect our water. With just a few carefully trained water-type Pokemon, they could evolve to become shining examples of water efficiency.

Here are four Pokemon I believe would be perfect for such evolution.

Mega Blastoise
Yes, this is the final form of Squirtle after a Mega Evolution, but let’s take this guy even further. With mighty water cannons on each arm and a giant cannon on its back, it is the perfect Pokemon for irrigating the yard. An average of 50 percent of water used for watering yards and gardens is lost to evaporation. Not with this WaterSense-labeled Pokemon. The Mega Blastoise’s cannons are extremely accurate. Use this Pokemon to deliver water evenly to your landscape with a constant flow rate. Remember, he only comes out between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m., the best times to water your yard for less evaporation. Mega Blastoise won’t back down to the extreme Solar Powers of the sun or of Mega Charizard! See for yourself:

Octillery
Install one of these in every bathroom in your house. You won't have to remember to turn off the water when brushing your teeth thanks to the handy Octillery. It can use one of its eight tentacles to shut it off for you. But that’s not all it can do. Use Octillery’s ink-spurting ability to test your toilets for leaks. Put a little ink in the back of the toilet tank, wait about 10 minutes, and then check the bowl to see if any ink seeped into the toilet bowl. Put the powerful yellow suction cups on this WaterSense Pokemon to work to help you repair any leaks. Octillery’s ability to save and protect our water will amaze you:

Golduck
Evolve this Pokemon and use its psychic powers to turn your sprinkler system on and off. Golduck uses the weather in your area to decide if the sprinkler should be on, just like a WaterSense-labeled irrigation controller. When you see the red gem on its forehead start to glow, don’t worry. This simply means it is sensing the amount of moisture in the soil. If the soil is moist, the sprinkler is off. Another great benefit to evolving this Pokemon to WaterSense status is it can act as a rain sensor. No more will you suffer the embarrassment of being “that neighbor” by having your sprinklers going while it is raining out. See the transformation happen before your own eyes.

Vaporeon
Certainly everyone has captured an Eevee or two. Expose one to a Water Stone, and it evolves into a Vaporeon. Another name used for it on the trademark filings is Showers, making this the perfect Pokemon to evolve into a WaterSense Pokemon. If you are hyped about Vaporeon, attach it to your traditional showerhead, and it will slow the flow of your showerhead from 2.5 gallons per minute to 1.5 gallons a minute. The best part is you won’t even notice a difference in the water pressure or spray coverage; that is how all WaterSense-labeled showerheads earn their prestigious label. Check out how excited Pokemon Trainers get when they find a Vaporeon, a Pokemon capable of uniting us all in the quest for clean water: