A new hydration station that was handed over to the Edith Dalton James High School in St Andrew on Monday has been very well received by students who can now enjoy cool, purified water at no cost.

Edith Dalton James is among a list of schools selected to benefit from a programme being guided by the National Education Trust (NET) and includes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Newport Water, and the Diabetes Foundation of Jamaica as key stakeholders. Other schools that have received or will receive hydration stations include Mavis Bank, Tarrant, Papine, Clan Carthy, Pembroke Hall and Oberlin High.

On Tuesday, Edith Dalton James 11th grader Justin Ferron told the Jamaica Observer he is grateful for the water.

“I appreciate this 100 per cent. The heat makes me feel drowsy and tired. This water will keep us cool and active so we can do more in class. The water is cool and everything. Before we got this machine I had to buy water, which costs $100 per bottle. I can now save the $100 that I would have to spend on bottled water,” Ferron explained.

His friend Michael Binns shared similar sentiments.

“It is really good for the school. Sometimes we are here at school and we have to spend many $100 bills on bottled water, and every dollar adds up. When we are going home in the afternoons we don’t have to worry about not having the money to catch a bus. When we are in class and we feel thirsty, we can just come outside and catch some cold water, because the heat makes me feel exhausted and it dries you out,” he said.

The school’s principal, Dr Orlando Worges, spoke of the difference the donated items will make.

“We have always recognised the need for clean water for our students to drink. We grew up understanding that water is life, and that is what we were told. If water is life, why do I have to pay for it? I know that nothing comes for free, and somebody has to pay. That’s why we are very grateful for the donation, which comes from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through the National Education Trust, where water is now free for our students,” he told the Observer.

“This water should actually taste just as good, or better, than the other water. This is something that we have been trying to do with the funding that we have, because we installed two water dispensers on our own. The students had filtered water but this one gives them cool water, and that is what we are most grateful for. It’s fully filtered and cool water for the students to come and fill their bottles, instead of going into their pockets. I guess this lessens the burden for parents. They can use that money to buy something else, probably some more educational resources,” said Worges.

Students of Edith Dalton James High School in St Andrew, Justin Ferron (left) and Michael Binns, drink water from a new hydration station at the institution. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

He is hoping the school will receive more hydration stations.

“To be honest, I told them that if they have extras they can bring three more. I believe that every school in Jamaica should have a few of these, one on each block. My thought is that if I could get more of these to put one on each block, it would be perfect for accessibility,” the school official said.

NET said the project, which had been in the making for the past 18 months, aims to encourage the healthy habit of drinking water by making it accessible, safe, and refreshing for students. Reusable water bottles were distributed at schools that were selected under the programme, to encourage environmental stewardship and the reduction of single-use and other plastics.

“Paired with sessions on healthy lifestyle habits and the prevention of non-communicable diseases, the hope is to educate and inspire a healthier population that ultimately enjoys a better quality of life and reduces the burden on the health-care system,” a statement from NET said.

NET explained that a system has been put in place to ensure that the hydration stations do not break down or go out of use indefinitely.

“The Hydrate Caribbean Jamaica pilot programme was initially sponsored for two years by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The full sponsorship covers the cost of the station, installation, and 100 per cent maintenance for two years. Newport Water is responsible to seek sponsors for the programme. Sponsorships are for two-year renewable terms. If a sponsor opts to discontinue at the end of their tenure, Newport will seek additional sponsors to ensure continuity of the programme,” NET explained.

In the statement it was further explained that the stations are connected to the school’s regular water supply, but the water goes through a special filtration process.

“The stations purify and chill the water. They use advanced reverse osmosis (RO) filtration and UV-C light sanitisation to remove contaminants, tastes, and odours. A regular maintenance schedule ensures the upkeep and optimal functioning of the stations,” NET said.