Bottled Water for Schools

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Bottled Water for Schools

Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) is facilitating the statewide Bottled Water for Schools Program funded through the California State Water Board’s “Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund.”

The funding covers purchase and delivery of bottled drinking water in five-gallon containers and necessary supplies. The maximum allocation is ¼ of a gallon per student and staff members per school day for up to two years at any one school. Eligible sites include schools serving kindergarten and any of grades 1-12, preschools, and child daycare facilities.

Please note: Sites must be located on public school property with a current water quality impairment.

RCAC coordinates with our bottled water vendors to set up deliveries and manage payment. Our aim is to leave as minimal amount of administrative burden on our schools as possible.

RCAC will work with interested schools to submit a funding recommendation to the State Water Resources Control Board for approval. Upon approval, RCAC will identify the best vendor from its list of preferred vendors to serve the school. Schools will be requested to provide a map of each approved school campus to identify locations for dispensers. Once locations are confirmed, RCAC’s team will coordinate delivery.

Additionally, schools interested in benefitting from these services will be required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with RCAC. The agreement will establish conditions like the following:

Placement of, at a minimum, one bottled drinking water dispenser near each eating area for all students.
Photo documentation of bottled drinking water dispensers once in place.
Removal of access to drinking water fountains serving noncompliant water.
Written confirmation or photo documentation that drinking water fountains serving noncompliant water have been removed from service.
Notification to the Division of Drinking Water District Engineer or Local Primacy Agency that drinking water fountains have been removed from service.
Safe and suitable site access for RCAC, the State Water Board, the State Governor, or any authorized representative of the foregoing, at all reasonable times for the duration of the MOU.
Updates on the status of the long-term or other interim solution, as applicable.
Distribution of informational material provided by RCAC, as determined appropriate by the school.

If your school is interested in this program, please email RCAC at agua4all@rcac.org. Our team will be in touch to discuss next steps.