A waterfall and pond at the Living Water Park inside the Chengdu Case Pavilion.

Water technologies on show at Expo could be serving the people of Shanghai in the near future.

Shanghai might be drying out as the rainy season comes to a close, but water continues to be a key focus of pavilions at the Expo 2010 Shanghai that are showcasing better living through advancements in water purification and climate technology.

From the innovative water-filtering systems helping to quench Expo visitors' thirst to pavilions' groundbreaking water purification systems, the Expo shows how clean water really does make a better city, better life.

Drinking water straight from the tap is just not on for most people throughout China as chemicals and lack of purification procedures make the water unsafe to drink.

However, Expo visitors are learning the possibility and joy of drinking water straight from the tap.

"It feels good when the water jets onto the tip of my tongue," said Li Jiawen, a six-year-old boy from Shanghai, who has only ever drank bottled water. "At first I didn't believe that I could drink it, because my parents always say running water is not clean and safe enough for drinking if it's not boiled."

Like Li, millions of residents in Shanghai, do not trust non-boiled tap water. "I can smell the chemicals in the water from the tap in my home," Li said. "But the water here from the drinking water facilities tastes sweet."

Luckily for Li and other Shanghai residents, tap water will soon be drinkable as the technology used in the Expo Garden, which uses filters with special technology, will be readily available in the city.

Technologies in the Expo Garden are doing more than just quenching thirst, they're also keeping people cool. As the summer heat has worn out many Expo visitors, thousands of misting spray machines throughout the Garden help keep visitors cool and happy.

A waterfall-like solar-power system on a wall in the Alsace Case Pavilion helps control temperatures and humidity.

The pavilion was designed using the solar wall prototype at Bouxwiller High School in Alsace, France.

In the summer, water flows through the inner pane of glass, while the outer pane opens according to the temperature and sun intensity. This system helps circulate the air and keep it cool inside the structure, all while reducing energy consumption.