Following a highly successful launch, Rowland Water District’s water bottle filling station and conservation program will be extended this month to Northam Elementary School in La Puente and Jellick Elementary School in Rowland Heights.

The “What’s in Your Bottle?” initiative replaces school water fountains to educate students about the value of tap water and the importance of reducing their dependence on plastic water bottles. The District covers the cost of the stations and installation.

“We want to empower and educate students at school in the hopes that this will create real change at home,” said Brittnie Van De Car, the District’s Education and Community Outreach Coordinator. “By teaching the next generation about the effect of plastic waste on the environment, this program ultimately has a positive impact on our community.”

“What’s in Your Bottle?” began in January 2020 at Rowland and Blandford elementary schools in Rowland Heights, and retrofits two sites per year by lottery. The program aligns with the District’s “What’s Your Water Footprint?” campaign, which provides home conservation resources online at yourwaterfootprint.org.

The filling stations, which offer chilled tap water, are mounted above pre-existing water fountains for accessibility and convenience. Each location is outfitted with a special ticker that shows students how many plastic bottles have been saved by using refillable bottles at the station.

“We are thrilled to be able to continue to grow this program each year until all schools within the District have been retrofitted,” Van De Car said. “Once installation is complete, we provide each student and staff member with a reusable water bottle so they can realize the full benefits of the fill station.”

Rowland Water District’s “ready, set, refill” effort has received recognition from students, parents, teachers and the California Special Districts Association.

For more information about the program or Rowland Water District, visit www.rwd.org.