Schools choose tap water

AS THE 2018 school year begins, Barwon Water is encouraging students to “Choose Tap” as an easy way to stay cool, hydrated and healthy.

Keeping up fluids throughout the day, especially during February and March when temperatures can soar, is an important way of maintaining good health and staying focused in the classroom, Barwon Water education officer Fernando Garcia said.

“Just a two per cent drop in body water can cause a 13 per cent drop in concentration so hydration is vital to support learning.

“Clean, fresh water from the tap is readily available and schools do an amazing job of encouraging students to bring a refillable bottle to school to ensure they are drinking enough water,” Mr Garcia said.

“We are proud to support this effort, and over the past five years, have provided more than 40,000 re-usable water bottles to students and community groups as part of our free education program.

“By choosing tap you minimise the environmental impact of bottled water purchases, with an estimated 50 per cent of plastic bottles ending up as landfill or litter.”

Barwon Water supplies clean, fresh drinking water to over 300,000 people every day from eight water treatment plants across the region, making it one of the largest regional water corporations in Australia.

The Choose Tap campaign aligns with liveability and wellbeing objectives outlined in the state government’s Water for Victoria plan.

It also supports Barwon Water’s Strategy 2030 healthy living and zero waste goals.

For information on Barwon Water’s free education program, head to barwonwater.vic.gov.au/learning/schools.