Cobram and District Specialist School is only the latest in a string of organisations to make water their beverage of choice.
During National Water Week last week, staff and students gathered to mark the launch of its membership in the Goulburn Valley Water’s Water Only program.
Cobram Specialist School business manager, Denise Ross, said staff were constantly looking for ways of contributing to the health of the 62 students.
“We can see the link between a reduced sugar diet and concentration levels for our students, so water only is a simple way of introducing this message to students,” she said.
“Our school also has a big focus on waste management, so the fact that we are drinking from reusable containers reduces our contribution to landfill.”
She said the school’s partnership with GVW will further enhance students’ knowledge of local water systems and the importance of saving water and staying hydrated.
The school joins over 80 organisations including primary and secondary schools registered with the agency’s program.
Goulburn Valley Water managing director Dr Steve Capewell said there were several reasons why organisations get involved in the agency’s Water Only program.
“While reducing the amount of sugary drinks in our diets is important, there are also the economic and environmental benefits of having water as your ‘beverage of choice’,” he said.
“Tap water is value for money. For the same price as a $2 drink from the shop Goulburn Valley Water customers can get more than 6000 cups of water.
“Then there is the environmental factor. It takes a lot of energy, and water, to produce sugary drinks and bottled water – not to mention the packaging, transport and refrigeration.”
Dr Capewell said plastic bottles take up to 1000 years to break down and that at least 50 per cent of plastic bottles end up in landfill.
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