It is quite shocking that certain schools- at both the primary and secondary level- have failed to provide adequate separate drinking water facilities for the children who attend them. It is especially important that children from a young age should learn about the benefits of drinking fresh water, and should be encouraged to do so at every available opportunity. Whilst many schools do have water fountains on their premises, the problem is that there are just not enough to go around and they a located in generally unsanitary environments. Many water fountains I have come across are positioned either in or near toilet facilities. This is not ideal. Children also often engage in many physical activities, causing them to sweat and lose water profusely, in the light of this, it is even more crucial that they be encouraged to drink throughout the school day, and moreover, discouraged from drinking dehydrating, sugar filled beverages such as coca cola and concentrated squashes. The average ten year old will need to consume around 1.75 litres of water a day in order to stay in peak condition. You may not be surprised to hear that the majority of children don’t come near to this figure