After chasing away the bad guys, it took one more day for the team to add all the filtration equipment.

“It’s time to turn this baby on!” cried Klaus.

Ms. James was on hand with her camera to document the big moment. A crowd of villagers had also gathered around the CMI team’s dissolved-air flotation and filtering unit. Many were carrying jugs and buckets. Mr. Banerjee, Vihaan’s grandfather, was standing with them, crossing his fingers, hoping his grandson’s marvelous machine could help make his key man job a little less stressful.

“You guys ready?” asked Max.

“Ready!” shouted the rest of her team.

“Klaus? Flip the switch. Turn on the tap!”

Klaus braced his hand on the valve handle, then looked directly into the lens of Ms. James’s video camera. “This is one small flick of the wrist for man. One giant leap for clean water!”

Max had to laugh. Klaus, the CMI problem child, had turned into one of its most valuable (and entertaining) assets.

He cranked open the water valve. Vihaan and Annika flicked the switches that started sending highly pressurized bubbles fizzing through the “cleaning tank.”

“We have sludge,” reported Hana, as the first waste material was lifted up to the surface.

“Initiate skimming!” cried Keeto.

“Skimming,” said Toma, punching a green button.

“Organic material is entering the gas mill,” said Hana. “Commencing anaerobic digestion. We’re breaking it down in our oxygen-free container. Pretty soon, we’ll be cooking with our own gas!”

“And generating our own electricity!” added Toma.

“Filters are fully functional,” said Annika, who was situated near the spigot at the far end of the unit. “We should have clean, potable water in ten, nine …”

Max and the others joined in the countdown as they watched the water working its way through the pipelines and “noodle” filters.

“… eight, seven, six, five …”

Max nudged Vihaan.

“You get the first drink,” she said.

“Thank you.”

“… three, two, one!”

Vihaan turned the tap. Crystal-clear water flowed into his waiting tin cup.

“Quick,” he said as the water rose up to the rim. “We don’t want to waste a single drop of this. Who has a water jug they’d like to fill?”

The townspeople all stepped forward.

“I guess we better form a line,” said Klaus, with a laugh.

And the people of Jitwan did. A very polite and orderly line.

When Vihaan’s cup was full, an elderly lady at the head of the line placed a rubber bucket underneath the gurgling faucet. Ms. James’s camera moved in for a close-up as Vihaan took a long, refreshing drink.

“Svaadisht!” he shouted. “Delicious!”

The crowd cheered.

The old lady who was waiting for her bucket to fill hugged Vihaan.

“Dhanyavaad!” she said.

“You are most welcome, Dadima.”

“You vandals and hooligans!” The stubby man with the mustache and cigar was back. “You ruined one of our vending machines.”

“Prove it, dude,” said Keeto.

“Leave Jitwan!” growled the man, nearly biting his cigar in half.

“Not until we give these people the fresh, clean water they deserve!” declared Vihaan.

“That is dirty river water!” shouted the older water seller, waving his cane.

“Not anymore,” said Max. “We cleaned it.”

“We shall see about that!” The two men turned on their heels and walked away.

“Good-bye, Fresh & Pure water!” shouted a townsperson. “We don’t need you anymore! We have Vihaan and his friends!”

“Vah!” shouted others.

“Hooray!”

Max was feeling fantastic. She and her team had found another solution to another problem.

But then Charl’s satellite phone start buzzing.

He looked at the screen.

“It’s a video call.”

“Ben calling to congratulate us?” asked Max.

Charl shook his head. “No. It’s Lenard. That robot we met in Ireland. He wants to talk to you.”