Meridian Public School District Switches to Water Bottle Refilling Stations

With COVID cases on the rise and flu season right around the corner schools have had to adapt how students have access to drinking water.

Since the start of the pandemic water fountains in most schools are off limits to restrict the spread of covid-19 which may have left students a little thirsty. West Hill Elementary has found a way to remedy the problem by having refillable water bottle stations installed. The touch-less fill feature means there’s no lingering contact where germs can spread.

Clay Sims Director of Meridian Public School District stated, "With the advent of the pandemic, we had to close down our water fountains for conventional use. So we decided that it would be a good idea to install these bottle filling stations."

For decades, schools have relied on public drinking fountains to help hydrate students throughout the day but COVID has made school switch to the water bottle filling stations.

Trinity Horner 5th grader said, “ I'm excited about it because when we go outside for P.E we all get really thirsty and we can just come inside and get water from the water fountain.”

The Director of Meridian Public School District tells us just how many other school have had them installed as well.

" Approximately 40 stations all across the District. The objective was to get one in each location to make it readily available for students. It averaged out to be about one per building."

Javion Allen, 5th Grader

5th Grader Javion Allen tells us how he feels about now having access to the water bottle filling stations.

“ I think it’s good because sometimes because it be tiring when we get back in from P.E.”

Water fountains are no longer the go-to solutions as a constant water source for student in the meridian public school district.