This past month the SGA finally got what students have been anticipating all year: new water fountains. The five new water fountains have been installed and functioning in the school for a month, and students are hoping for more.
During a test done on Aug. 3, one of the water fountains in the school was found to exceed the limit of lead to have in safe drinking water. The SGA took action and vowed to get the students what they want, which is cleaner and better-tasting drinking water. With the money raised from school-sponsored events like Homecoming, they purchased water bottle stations to put on the water fountains. The promise to give students untainted water is being fulfilled.
Despite a common misconception among the students, the water bottle filling stations don’t actually filter the water. “Only a certain type of the water bottle refilling stations have a filter built into them, and those are the more expensive kind. It’s very possible though to add a filter onto any of the stations because these knew models have a filter recognition system,” Elkay said.
These new stations make drinking water at school more sanitary, because of the sensor- activated dispenser. They also all contain coolers that regulate the temperature of the water, so it’s never too hot or too cold.
One of the benefits to having the new water bottle filling stations is that is helps make the school more environmentally friendly. Sophomore member of the SGA Kelly Baldwin believes in the water bottle filling stations. “It saves 33 plastic water bottles by refilling up the same water bottle,” Baldwin said.
The water bottle stations are touchless and easy to use. They enhance sustainability and make students less dependent on disposable water bottles. Because it is sensor-activated students no longer have to struggle with holding down the button to dispense the water while juggling their water bottle in the other hand.
The SGA is hoping to get more stations. “There are five in the school right now, but the SGA is planning on increasing that number,” Baldwin said.
Currently, six of these new water bottle filling stations are in place in the school. One of them is located upstairs by the English rooms, right around the corner from the staircase. Another of the stations is in the science department, and the other are spread out around the rest of the school.
Students are pleased with the new stations and are looking forward to getting more. “It’s so nice finally having water fountains I can drink out of without doubting the cleanliness of it,” freshman Samantha Keller said.
Although the new stations expensive,the SGA stands by their decision to buy them. “They were definitely worth buying because our water fountains were in bad conditions and the water wasn’t great quality, especially in terms of temperature, which the new fountains fix,” SGA member junior Jacob Glazier said.
