California Schools Not Providing Free, Safe Drinking Water
Several recent state and federal laws now require schools to provide free, fresh drinking water wherever meals are served or eaten. Free water in meal areas not only benefits students who cannot afford flavored beverages or who do not like milk, it encourages all students to drink water, which is a healthier choice than juice or soda.
While providing free, fresh water in meal areas seems like a no-brainer, 25% of California schools are out of compliance, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
A study of 240 randomly selected public schools was conducted in 2011 by researchers at UCSF, together with nutrition and health advocacy organizations California Food Policy Advocates and Change Lab Solutions. According to the study, the primary reasons schools