Photography courtesy of Haws®
What’s one thing we can’t live without? Hint: it’s not Facebook
HĀO By Shauna L. Nosler
Water.
We cannot survive without it. Humans need it. Animals need it. Plants need it. Our planet needs it. Water comprises 55 to 75 percent of our body weight and covers just over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. But, like the air we breathe, it’s something we often take for granted. Yet it’s an essential component to our physical and mental well-being, and more than anything else we consume, it can affect our health and overall functioning—adversely when we don’t get enough. And unfortunately, most of us aren’t drinking enough. Water makes your body work more efficiently. It regulates body temperature, carries oxygen and vital nutrients to cells and takes away waste (like excess sodium). Water hydrates our eyes, nose and mouth, keeps our joints properly lubricated and helps preserve blood volume. Along with being good for our body, water’s good for our mind. The brain is 73 percent water, and insufficient hydration can adversely affect mental health including cognitive functioning and overall disposition, especially in children. And water’s good for the pocketbook too. Not only is it calorie-free, caffeine-free and sugar-free … here in the U.S., it is often available for free. Of course not all water is created the same and just because it’s free doesn’t mean it’s good. In December 2010, the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act was signed into law by President Obama. Among other requirements, the act calls for all schools to provide access to free drinking water during mealtimes, but the act doesn’t stipulate any specific requirements on water quality nor provide funding for the mandate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Under the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, schools must make free potable water available where meals are served. No other federal regulations address accessibility of water on school campuses.
however, recommends schools do a little bit more by allowing students to have water bottles in class or go to the water fountain when needed. Additionally, the CDC proposes schools provide access to clean, properly maintained water fountains (or other hydration stations) throughout the school—not just where meals are served.
Are water fountains the answer? The International Plumbing Code thinks water fountains are, well, out of style. In their 2015 manual— followed by most all U.S. city planners—the authors recommend cutting the number of water fountains installed in new buildings by half. And although they only made this recommendation a few years ago, some builders have been steering away from water fountains for a while now. In 2007, when the University of Central Florida built a 45,000-seat stadium, they didn’t put in one water fountain. Not one! The school claimed the fountains were too expensive and instead sold water bottles for $3 apiece. On opening day, temperatures soared, vendors ran out of water and 60 people were treated for heat-related illnesses. Consequently, the university installed 50 drinking fountains. Fortunately, the large majority, if not all of Indiana schools have water fountains in school as well as within their football stadiums. But just because there are water fountains doesn’t mean kids drink out of them, nor does it mean the water’s safe to drink. In 2016, a $1.63 million grant provided by the Indiana Finance Authority was awarded to the Indiana Geological Survey to help test water in schools. Currently, there are over 700 edibleINDY.com
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