By Spencer Jacobson, Staff Writer
After the success of the recent installation of the water bottle refilling station in the hall between the Dugan Library and the student center, SGA has made plans to have more installed in other locations on campus.
Micah VanderGriend, an SGA senator, said that there are plans to put a new station downstairs in Eck Hall, one upstairs in Bishop Gerber, one in Carrocci Hall, and another outside the athletic offices in DeMattias.
VanderGriend said he was motivated to try to expand this project after seeing the positive feedback that the current station received.
“The first one had like 600 or 700 uses in the first month so that was really great. We had leftover funding for this year’s SGA so we thought it would be a great end of the year initiative to pass a bill to get more water bottle refilling stations on campus,” he said.
VanderGriend said that another motivator for expanding the project was reducing the amount of waste on campus.
“It is definitely something we are conscious of in SGA so I would say that was at the forefront as well,” he said.
In the few months that the water bottle refilling station has been on campus, it has already saved over 900 plastic water bottles.
Though this is an SGA project, the organization is seeking partnerships with other departments on campus to alleviate some of the expense.
Each station costs approximately $1,100, Marisa Zayat, SGA president, said.
“If any of the departments are willing to partner that would decrease our costs and any excess funds will be utilized to purchase even more water bottle refilling stations around campus,” she said.
SGA has already received multiple commitments from other on-campus organizations and departments for these new stations, Zayat said.
The Residence Hall Association has agreed to partner with them and has given $500 for the station in Carrocci. The theater department has given $200 for the station in DeMattias. And SGA has received a verbal commitment of $500 from the athletic department, also for the station in DeMattias, Zayat said.
Zayat said she knows some other departments have shown interest in partnering with SGA to cover the expenses but have not given commitments yet.
Zayat said the timeframe for the installation of the new water bottle refilling stations is dependent on the availability of the stations. But that SGA hopes to install them before the semester ends.
“We are committed to installing these stations before the start of the 2019-2020 academic year,” she said.
PHOTO: NO LONGER will students have to tilt their cups only to fill them halfway up with water at water fountains. Courtney Klaus, Editor-In-Chief
