Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Construction of a Low-cost Mobile Incubator for Field and Laboratory Use
Published on: March 19, 2019
Drinking Water Availability in Public Schools: An Assessment of Four New Jersey School Districts
Cong Wang1, Francesco Acciai2, Sarah Martinelli2
1College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA.
Background:
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act requires access to free drinking water in public school cafeterias during meal times. Previous studies suggest that increasing access to water in schools can increase its consumption among students, potentially reducing their intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. The current study provides a descriptive assessment of water availability, delivery methods, and quality in 96 public schools across four New Jersey school districts.
Methods:
As part of the New Jersey Child Health Study, we administered an online and paper survey to school nurses at 96 schools to evaluate the availability, delivery, and quality of water in the school cafeteria during lunchtime. Univariate and bivariate statistics were used to analyze the data.
Results:
In school year 2019-20, 83 (86.5%) schools reported providing free drinking water in the cafeteria during lunch. The most common source of water was water fountains, available in 64 schools (66.7%). Issues related to water quality, specifically cleanliness, temperature, pressure, and taste, were present in 20-30% of schools.
Conclusions:
While most schools surveyed provide access to clean, free drinking water, students in some schools still lack free access to drinking water during school meals, which may affect overall water consumption among students.
More Related Videos
12:11A Modified EPA Method 1623 that Uses Tangential Flow Hollow-fiber Ultrafiltration and Heat Dissociation Steps to Detect Waterborne Cryptosporidium and Giardia spp.
Published on: July 9, 2012
10:48EPA Method 1615. Measurement of Enterovirus and Norovirus Occurrence in Water by Culture and RT-qPCR. I. Collection of Virus Samples
Published on: March 28, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Quality of Water
States of Water
Water freezes when the intermolecular forces are greater than the kinetic energy. Unlike most other substances, water is less dense in its solid state than in its liquid state. This is because each water molecule can form...
Water and Mineral Acquisition
Testing Water Quality
Regulation of Water Intake
The Water Cycle