Brand Partner Content
Credit: Zurn Elkay Water Solutions
All across the country, school-aged children are faced with high lead levels in their drinking water every day. In California alone, it’s estimated that 40,000+ children have been exposed to unsafe lead levels, prompting millions of dollars being used for lead testing and water system repairs – in fact, Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest school district, has spent more than $30 million over the last decade.
Earlier this year, California lawmakers made progress by introducing a bill aimed at removing lead from water used in schools which would help protect children from its serious long-term effects. If signed into law, testing for lead at all drinking water fountains in K-12 schools would be mandated with a goal of reducing lead levels in schools to zero. But there’s much to be done and action that can be taken now to ensure children have access to cleaner drinking water.
Credit: Zurn Elkay Water Solutions
Elkay, the leader in providing cleaner water solutions, is on a mission to expand access to safer drinking water through its bottle filling station offerings and NSF-certified filters that help reduce harmful contaminants like lead.
The company recently partnered with Equitas Academy #3 in Los Angeles’s Pico Union community after learning of their dire need of getting cleaner drinking water to students daily that was reliable and more cost-efficient than the solutions they had put in place. Through a donation and installation of new ezH2O® Bottle Filling Stations, the schools were able to save the district $30,000 annually that was previously spent on weekly deliveries of 5-gallon water jugs.
Through the donation, gallons of convenient filtered water are delivered to students and staff daily while also diverting thousands of pounds of single-use plastic from going to waste with each bottle filled. The schools are also seeing major cost savings that allow for more educational experiences for students. In addition to supplying Equitas Academy #3 with access to fresh, filtered water, the water solutions company donated and installed another six units within the district that are facing similar obstacles and plans to continue raising awareness on the importance of healthier hydration and supporting schools in need across California.
Credit: Zurn Elkay Water Solutions
Proper hydration and access to cleaner water is a crucial part of a student’s education. Not only do students feel better when properly hydrated, they perform better academically, and attendance rates are higher.
Elkay believes that every student should have access to clean drinking water, and reducing lead in drinking water is vital. Elkay’s filters are certified to NSF/ANSI standards to reduce lead, chlorine and particulates while improving taste and odor, making water safer for everyone.
To learn how you can make a difference by ensuring students are adequately hydrated throughout the school day and for more information on how Elkay is encouraging access to cleaner, safer drinking water in K-12 schools and the case study on the impact being made in Equitas schools, please visit Elkay’s website.
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