By Christian Lund, Staff Writer
On campus, hydration is key for athletes and for all students that attend El Camino. Water bottle refill stations can be found at the front of the 60s hall as well as in the cafeteria, but the only water available for the PE classes is a water fountain that has been there since around the school’s opening in 1950.
Over 500 billion plastic water bottles are sold each year and over 60 million bottles are thrown away each day. Adding a refill station on campus could decrease the school’s plastic waste and help students get to class on time. During the passing period, a line forms at the refill station located in the main hallway. The wait can cause PE students to be late to class because the location of the water fountain is across campus from the PE area.
Head Water Polo Coach Cory Stowell stated that this is an issue he has been working to resolve for almost two years. For athletes on the water polo team, they are supplied with water bottles that have been donated by team parents to keep the players hydrated during practices and games. However, other sports do not have this luxury and are left to plan ahead or not have any water at all.
Stephanie Saylors, the school’s athletic director, softball coach and PE teacher says this is a problem she has even had to face herself, having to leave class or the job she is working on to go to the cafeteria to get more water. On hot days the sun can cause heat exhaustion and dehydration, and, with no working water fountains anywhere close to the softball field, athletes have to leave practice or choose to go without it for the remainder of the time.
Location for these fill up stations can be tricky but not impossible. Stowell stated the school has talked about not having it out in the open but having it installed inside of one of the school’s gyms.
Sure, the cost of installation on a school campus will be in the thousands of dollars, however Senate Bill 828 which was passed in 2018 created a solution to provide safe and healthy drinking water for schools that need it. This bill, in partnership with California Water Boards, offers grants to schools and can range from 25,000 to 100,000 dollars for construction and installation of refill stations. This grant would help the school provide better and safer drinking water on campus for students and athletes alike.
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