Model Wellness Policy Language for Water Access in Schools

With the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, federal law now requires schools to make fresh drinking water available during mealtimes in school food service areas at no cost to students.

By providing drinking water as an alternative to sugary drinks, schools can support children’s ability to learn and their health overall. But schools face a variety of challenges to making drinking water readily available, including deteriorating school infrastructure, fears about water quality, and the prevalence of sugar-sweetened beverages.

To help schools and other community advocates overcome these barriers, we created this set of model goals and actions for schools to incorporate into their wellness policies.