Beginning on March 12 water bottle filling stations will be operational and available for student and faculty use due to the extensive work of the Townsend Harris High School administration and the SU Board. Since their installment in late February, the water has undergone lead testing and returned clean results.Available on each floor, the new water stations replace former water fountains and promote reusable bottle usage and cleaner water for students.
Assistant Principal of Organization, Health, and Physical Education Ellen Fee said these new water stations “make clean, filtered water accessible to all students who carry reusable water bottles with them to school. The Brita-filtered water refill stations will dispense cold water at any time of the day and reduce plastic waste for a greener school community.” While students pass through the hallways to their next class, lunch, or gym, they can quickly fill up their water bottles and stay hydrated throughout the day. Teachers, custodians, and other THHS staff also have the opportunity to use these stations for fresh water right at their fingertips.
Many students remarked upon the importance of the new water stations. Freshman Zaynah Shariff said, “I think the main reason why these stations were installed is to make sure students stay hydrated.” Freshman Benjamin Babayev also stated, “Water is a must-have for all students, and with some kids who don’t bring water to school or can’t afford to buy them every day, this station really helps provide them with water so they won’t be dehydrated and they could focus on their task at hand.” Freshman Chayti Biswas added, “The fact that these stations were added emphasizes the school’s belief in self-care.”
Several student athletes were also pleased by the convenience of the newly installed water stations. Freshman Nicole Chen said, “As a runner, water is my first priority throughout the day. Having these stations make it really easy for me to balance out my running needs.”
“I tend to drink a lot of water throughout the day because I’m an athlete on the rowing team and my coaches highly recommend it,” continued Chayti. “With the help of the stations, I can finally maintain a good intake of water while doing school work.”
