Water Access in Schools

For Everyone

At a glance

  • Access to drinking water gives students a healthy alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages.
  • Increasing access to water helps students stay hydrated.
  • Staying hydrated may improve cognitive function in children and adolescents.
  • Fluoridated drinking water plays a role in preventing dental cavities.
A young girl drinking from a water bottle in a playground.

Free drinking water for students

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to make free water available to students during mealtimes—where meals are served. The standards also require schools in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) to make drinking water available when breakfast is served.

In addition to these requirements, schools can use other strategies to:

  • Ensure that water fountains are clean and properly maintained.
  • Provide water fountains, dispensers, and hydration stations throughout the school.
  • Allow students to have water bottles in class, or to go to the water fountain if they need to.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards and regulations assure that public water supply is clean and safe as it leaves the water utility. However, lead plumbing parts (pipes, fittings, and fixtures) can contaminate water after it leaves the water main. Schools can test the water quality and have a plan in case there is contamination. When tap water may be unsafe to drink, schools can offer drinking water in other ways until the contamination is fixed. This could include installing filtration systems or buying drinking water.

Promote more water consumption

Microlearning modules

These short video training modules guide schools on how to help students drink more water during the day. School staff will learn what can be done to ensure water is available, safe, and promoted as the beverage of choice.

Audio Description Transcript

Resources

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Content Source
Division of Adolescent and School Health; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
About This Page
Published: November 19, 2024
Updated: July 23, 2024

This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.

Reviewed: July 23, 2024

The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.

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