Case Studies

Turlock Unified School District, Turlock, CA

The district, located just East of the San Francisco Bay Area, installed drinking water stations in some of its school cafeterias in 2011. The stations consist of a traditional water fountain combined with hydration station technology. The installation of these water stations was directed by Scott Soiseth, the school district's Director of Child Nutrition. Mr. Soiseth said that as he "became aware of the new fresh drinking water regulations, [he] did an inventory of all of [his] sites to ensure that [they] would be in compliance." His initiative to improve access to tap water cost about $1,300 per unit and were installed during a remodel project funded by the district's Child Nutrition department.

These water stations offer students the choice of drinking chilled, filtered drinking water from a traditional spout or refilling their water containers through the hydration station. The hydration station features a dynamic counter that shows students how many plastic bottles they have saved by refilling their reusable containers, and a sensor that turns the water flow on or off depending on whether a container is held up to it. Mr. Soiseth also designed the water station space to colorfully and simply promote water through a unique branding style. Turlock Unified is hoping to install three more of these same units in summer 2012.