Water Access in Schools | School Nutrition

Why it’s important
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
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.
Toolkit: increase access to water
Toolkit
The Increasing Access to Drinking Water in Schools Toolkit offers school health councils, nutrition services providers, principals, teachers, other school staff, and parents information and tools to:
- Meet free drinking water requirements in the school lunch and breakfast programs.
- Help make clean, free drinking water available from multiple sources in school settings.
- Promote water as a healthy beverage.
Toolkit Guide
Increasing Access to Drinking Water in Schools Toolkit: Step-by-Step Guidance on Using the Toolkit describes how to:
- Meet federal drinking water requirements for school meal programs.
- Help make clean, free drinking water available throughout the school setting.
Quick toolkit access
Toolkit sections for quick access:
link