Water push with Hydrate Barbados programme

ONE industry leader wants to bring fresh purified drinking water to a number of schools and public locations across Barbados.

Sales Executive of Newport Water, Fabian McDowald, who is responsible for the Hydrate Barbados programme, made this announcement during morning assembly at The St. Michael School recently.

McDowald and his team joined the Barbados Public Workers’ Co-operative Credit Union Limited (BPWCCUL) to unveil the second hydration system of its kind in Barbados. The new system, which will provide over 900 students with still and carbonated (sparkling) water, will eliminate the dependence on single-use bottles and encourage the school body to drink more water. The device will be housed in the school’s courtyard.

McDowald told the media after the unveiling of the hydration system that the Hydrate Barbados programme is a recent initiative where the company is aiming to have hydration stations at every secondary and primary school in Barbados as well as key public locations.

He added that this would allow the public of Barbados to have easy access to purified drinking water at all times. He said that this is the second station launched and the first is at the Springer Memorial Secondary School. Both of the stations were sponsored by the BPWCCUL. The established credit union also has school-operated credit unions at the two secondary schools.

McDowald added that Newport Water is actively discussing other locations with corporate Barbados with the hope to install more hydration stations before the end of the year.

In his earlier comments, the Sales Executive outlined the scarcity of fresh drinking water globally, but told the students that they were very for-tunate to have access to clean drinking water in Barbados.

Good water habits

The Principal of The St. Michael School, Dr. Yvette Mayers, emphasised that the institution has always encouraged the habit of drinking water, noting that since 2015, students were allowed to drink water during class time. The principal highlighted the benefits of the new
hydration station.

“This type of system will allow the students to have their water bottles, refill their water bottles and enhance the healthy school programme that we have been promoting at The St. Michael School,” said Dr. Mayers.