Water….It’s Not Just for Lunch Anymore

There’s sure to be much discussion in the coming months over what foods can be sold in schools, now that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed its much-anticipated “Smart Snacks in School” rule.

The public has 60 days to comment on these nutrition standards for all foods sold on campus, including “competitive foods” (foods that compete with the school meal program). School officials, educators, parents, and health advocates will debate what the standards should or shouldn’t say about things like calories, sugar, fat, sodium, vending machines, sports drinks, diet drinks, juice, chocolate and flavored milk, and fundraisers.

But sadly, one issue that won’t come up enough is the availability of water for students throughout the school day.
The federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, adopted in 2010, called on the USDA to establish nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools (not just the federally supported school meal program), and required that schools participating in the National School Lunch Program “make potable water available to children at no charge” where lunches are served.

The Smart Snacks rule goes just a little further to encourage the availability of water during all meal services, including breakfast. It also reminds school food authorities that schools were to start complying with the potable water at lunch meal service requirement no later than the 2011-12 school year. Unfortunately, a recent study of California public schools found that one in four schools did not comply with the requirements.

Making drinking water available to students is not only the law; it’s a fantastic way to promote kids’ overall health and ability to learn. Drinking sugary sodas and sports drinks instead of water puts kids at greater risk of excess weight gain and tooth decay, and children who are dehydrated tend to experience a drop in short-term memory and concentration.

Regardless of your stance on competitive foods, you can do all students a favor by taking a few steps to encourage schools to provide safe, free drinking water throughout the school day:

♦  Push for stronger school policies. Schools can go beyond federal requirements to specify that free and safe drinking water be made widely available on school campuses throughout the day. School policies also can explicitly permit students to bring water into classrooms in clear, capped containers.

♦  Improve water quality. By performing regular testing and maintenance and making the information accessible, districts can help address student and staff concerns about water quality. For information on testing programs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed guidance for schools (see www.epa.gov). Schools can restore deteriorating infrastructure by working with local and state government or securing federal funding to cover the costs of repairs. For example, the Los Angeles Unified School District used funds from a city bond earmarked for school improvements to repair plumbing in its schools.

♦  Invest in a water dispenser. Schools can provide a water jug or water cooler in the cafeteria, or they can go a step further to install a filtration device to provide a permanent source of clean and appealing drinking water. To purchase a filter, schools may need money for installation, maintenance, and labor (to fill and sanitize dispensers).

For more resources from ChangeLab Solutions on making drinking water accessible in schools, visit http://changelabsolutions.org/publications/wellness-policy-water.

Quang “Q” Dang is a program director and senior attorney at ChangeLab Solutions, a national nonprofit working to transform neighborhoods with laws and policies that create lasting change. This piece is adapted from a ChangeLab Solutions post that ran on Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution blog on October 17, 2012.