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A demure schoolgirl peeks out from behind a tree as the classmate she has a crush on walks over to the drinking fountain. As soon as he’s done wetting his whistle and walks off, she runs over to take a swallow from the same tap. Overcome with the intimacy of the moment, she raises her hands to her cheeks, which are flushed with ecstasy

The first half of the story sounds like a scene from a sweet anime romance, while the second sounds like an excerpt from a much pervier series. It’s neither, though, but actually an advertisement reminding people about the importance of public utilities.

The role of the Japan Water Works Association is pretty self-explanatory. With its stated goal as “Safe and tasty water, anytime, anywhere,” the group researches and educates about water management systems and technology. The JWWA has also offered assistance and expertise to utilities providers in Vietnam, China, and Mexico.

But as critical as the JWWA’s water-based mission is to modern society, the technical aspects can sound ironically dry to layman ears. That’s why one of its PR campaigns instead focuses on the end results, and is done as a series of manga-style posters to make the message even easier to digest. Still, the simple, prudent message of “We should put effort into our waterworks” isn’t entirely congruent with the dramatic undertones of manga artwork. Last year’s JWWA poster, seen below, had plenty of people snickering at its unnamed heroine, whose father is an employee of the local waterworks.

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The girl, who’s sweet on baseball player Mizuno (whose family name means “water field,” naturally), is filled with joy as the student athlete takes a drink of water from the tap. “Mizuno is gulping down the delicious water my dad helps provide!” she thinks. “The water is delicious and safe, thanks to Japan’s amazing waterworks capabilities!…Keep working hard for Mizuno, Dad!”

But while the girl’s unexpected zeal for tap water probably produced as much laughter as actual appreciation for the JWWA’s efforts, the organization didn’t think it was necessary to tone down the girl’s enthusiasm in her latest appearance. Actually, she’s even more passionate about public H20…maybe a little too passionate.

https://twitter.com/Fire_Mixer/status/656374227155595264

Once again, things open with young Mr. Mizuno needing a drink of water.

▼ “Ah-❤” exclaims the schoolgirl.

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Once he’s gone…

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and then…

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“Oh wow, I drank the tap water that Mizuno-kun was just drinking! It tastes soooo good!! But it’s not like this quality of water just happens on its own!! It’s thanks to Japan’s advanced water management capabilities, and the regular maintenance of the waterworks, that we have safe, delicious water!! I’ve heard the maintenance costs a lot of money, but we have to periodically replace aging waterworks, and make sure they’re earthquake-resistant so we don’t get stuck without water when we need it most!! Mizuno-kun ❤ and I, we’re connected by the waterworks!!”

She actually makes some pretty valid points in that breathless exclamation. Still, unless Mizuno is such a big star that the school built a private water fountain for his exclusive use, the girl might not want to think too deeply about the implications of their tap water connection, since odds are she has one that’s just as strong with everyone else on the team now, too.

Source: Jin
Top image: Twitter/@Fire_Mixer
Insert images: Japan Water Works Association, Twitter/@Fire_Mixer