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Water is an essential part of life that is necessary for survival. Humans can go three weeks without consuming food, but only three days without water. With its refreshing feel and numerous benefits, water is consumed every day globally. Research done by The World Counts concludes that “we use 10 billion tons of freshwater worldwide.” For Aurora High School students, water is readily available at all times. The opportunity to have water accessibility during the school day is often overlooked and taken for granted. The Aurora City Schools staff does an excellent job keeping up with the water demand and water quality at AHS.
AHS has one or two fountains in each hallway throughout the school. Bottled water is also available for purchase at the vending machines and the cafeteria during lunch hours. The Elkay LZWSR_1C is the type of fountain that hangs on the walls of the schools. The fountains have bottle fillers as well as traditional drinking spouts. Its product description on Amazon reads, “system provides chilled water to satisfy thirst.” AHS upgraded to these fountains around nine years ago. The features of the fountain include refrigeration, filtration, and a hands-free motion sensor. The custodial staff at AHS keep the fountains in good condition. When asked about filter changes, head custodian Harry Holt stated: “Filters are changed at the end of their recommended life cycle…That's usually good for 2-6 months.” Aurora High School students have many things to be grateful for, and easy water access is one of them.
Water bottles can be purchased during lunch and from vending machines. Other beverages can be purchased during these times as well. These beverages are available at a low cost and come at a refreshing temperature. AHS senior Mickey Chham finds the water that is sold at school hydrating: “Everytime I buy water it’s cold and refreshing.” Water is priced at $1.50 at the Cafeteria vending machines. Student lunch times take place at around the middle of the school day, making it the perfect time for students to refill their water bottles or purchase water. Whether its from a spout or from a bottle, students have acces to water in every corner of the school, at any time.
If most students bring large water bottles from home, why is access to water during school hours so important? Water has a variety of benefits for students and staff. Drinking water improves memory, attention, and the risk of chronic illnesses. Despite these benefits, the Center for Disease Control reports that “1 in 5 children and adolescents do not drink any plain water during the day.” AHS’s easy water access encourages students to stay hydrated, even if they can’t bring it from home. The cost of water bills has only been rising and bringing water to school may not be a possibility for some students. The percentage of households that face water affordability challenges is on the rise. “17 percent of households struggle to afford basic water services”, researchers at Duke University found. Since, apart from their own homes, school is the place where students spend most of their time, it is the School District’s responsibility to ensure water access so students can enjoy the benefits of clean water. Staying hydrated is also important for athletes. With multiple sports happening at once, the different water fountains come in handy. Cross-country athlete Chloe Lors recognizes the need for water accessibility at school, “water is important to us athletes since always need water for long practices.” Water is essential for the performance of AHS students and athletes.
The easy water accessibility at Aurora High School should not be overlooked. The AHS staff does an amazing job keeping the school water fountains up-to-date and clean. With many ways to obtain water throughout the school day, AHS won’t go thirsty.
By: Luciana Avila
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