People flock to these with a passion, including this trip in their routines, even if it means being late to class.
The filtered water fountains impact students’ lives every day. Whether it be learning about environmental awareness, becoming conscious of the healthy benefits of water, or having a sense of community.
“I think they are great,” Grace Williams, sophomore, said. “I bring my water bottle to school every day and use the fountains daily. I also know a lot of other people do, too. Heck, I even see the same people at the same time everyday filling up at the same time I am. The fountains also instigate conversation between random people who are waiting in line.”
A student who waits in these lines, too, for the fountains daily is Sam Soto, sophomore. He regularly refills his water bottle at least three times a day.
Although the fountains provide students the opportunity to stay hydrated, there are some issues, like the filter status, that turn students away from using these fountains.
“If [the filter status] is on yellow and I really need water, I’ll use it. But if it’s on red, I usually don’t,” Williams said. “I guess it makes me feel uncomfortable, kind of like I’m drinking contaminated water, even though I know it’s probably not. I prefer my water at its best possible quality, and having [the filter] on red or yellow means it’s not.”
Ryan Rubenstein, Assistant Principal for Student Activities and Facilities, reassures students the red or yellow status means the filter just needs to be changed. Since each water bottle fountain has its own water purifier, the red status on the filter means the water bottle fountain has the same water quality as the regular fountain next to it, Rubenstein said.
Though there are currently no plans to install more water bottle fountains, both Soto and Williams agree the school made a good investment in installing the water bottle fountains, especially since they cost the school little to install.
“It cost right around $1,000 per fountain,” Rubenstein said. “A lot of people utilize the fountains, so it was a good investment.”
The idea to install the filtered water fountains came from the district office, which has installed other fountains in nearby schools.
According to Rubenstein, even though the water bottle fountains take some profit away from the school with decreased water bottle sales from vending machines and the lunch line, he says that was not a factor in the decision to install these water bottle fountains.
“To me, more or less, [the decision] was for those who carry a water bottle around with them,” Rubenstein said. “It is a lot more green in the aspect that you can reuse a water bottle instead of going to the water fountain or buying a bottle every time.”
The number of water bottles saved at the top of each fountain reminds students of the greener impact on the environment. In all, the water bottle fountains have saved _______ bottles from possibly going into landfills.
Not only do the water bottle fountains help the environment, but they also make practices for students who participate in sports after school easier.
“I visit the fountains more during the season due to the need of being hydrated at all times, so plenty of water is needed. The same goes for a bunch of my [football] teammates,” Soto said. “I have been more hydrated during practice, which helps me avoid getting tired faster and injuries for most of the season.”
According to Williams, these water bottle fountains are a constant reminder of how easy it is to stay hydrated in high school. Soto agrees with this belief and adds that everyone should use the fountains.
“It adds simplicity and saves kids’ and their parents’ money,” Soto said. “Why buy a bottle of water at lunch when you could just fill up your own bottle for free?”