Water bottle filling stations good for health of students

Students and staff at the Cornell Elementary School, and Lake Holcombe High School, will have a healthy new addition to their campus, for the 2023-24 school year. The Delta Dental of Wisconsin (DDWI) Foundation’s Cool Water Program recently granted water bottle filling stations to 31 schools, across the state.

This is the fifth year of the program, which has impacted 138 schools and over 53,000 Wisconsin students, since inception.

Each Cool Water Program grant covers the installation cost of a new filling station, along with toothbrushes and reusable water bottles, for all students and staff. Selection for awardees was based on the schools having fluoridated water, percentage of students with free-and-reduced meal rates, and the sustainability and creativity of an implementation plan, to encourage students to drink more water throughout the year.

According to the American Dental Association, drinking water, especially fluoridated water, helps reduce cavities and protects precious tooth enamel, by washing away harmful bacteria. Children who drink water during the day, are less likely to consume sugary beverages and miss school, because of oral health issues.

Additionally, reducing sugar intake can decrease the occurrence of painful cavities and help reduce obesity.

“The statewide impact of the Cool Water Program the past five years, has been inspiring, but there is more work to be done,” said Megan Tenpas, community impact manager for the DDWI foundation. “Our goal is to have a school in each county, represented by the 2025-26 school year.”

For more information on the Cool Water Program or the foundation, visit deltadentalwi.com.