Students campaign for water refill stations on campus

On March 7 a student-led campaign was created in hopes of raising money to purchase and install an Elkay water refill station for the Bayou Building.

A GoFundMe page was created by Student Government Associations (SGA) Representative Jeffery Ryan with the goal of raising $1,000 to pay for the refill station. The student-led campaign is a collaborative effort by UHCL’s student organizations and is being sponsored by the Facilities and Support Services Committee (FSSC) and SGA.

Students who support the campaign contend that it will be beneficial to have a water bottle refill station in the Bayou Building.

Izuh Ikpeama, SGA president and biology major, made a personal donation to the GoFundMe. Ikpeama said that his donation showed the administration that the student body is willing to put in the work to enact change.

“These water bottle dispenser fountains are not only convenient, but they also help reduce plastic use and keep our environment cleaner as a result,” Ikpeama said. “Also, after talking to Jeffrey Ryan, the FSSC student representative that spearheaded this whole fundraising campaign, I realized how difficult it is for students with certain disabilities to fill up their water bottles.”

Outgoing SGA President and Communication Major Justin Murphy agrees with Ikpeama that installing water refill stations on campus is environmentally friendly and also points out that it is economical.

“I think that it is important for us to have refillable water fountains around campus so that we can try to be more environmentally aware especially since we are on a nature preserve,” Murphy said. “I also think that it’ll save students more money.”

Ward Martindale, associate vice president for facilities management and construction (FMC), said the FMC Department has agreed to install and maintain the water station.

“A direct benefit to all users of the refill station is cost savings,” Martindale said. “Many of us purchase bottled water for our personal use, and the university purchases a large amount of bottled water for employee use. Use of a refill station that supplies filtered water will eliminate (or reduce) the amount of bottled water we purchase, saving each of us and the university money. Directly related to this reduced purchase, is a reduction in plastic waste that ultimately ends up in a landfill, or the side of the road.”

There is currently one water refill station on campus, and it is located in the Fitness Center inside the Student Services and Classroom Building, but the currently-under-construction Recreation and Wellness Center will have a total of five refill stations, and three of them will be on the recreation side of the building.

“Bottle fill stations cut down on the number of plastic bottles used by patrons,” said Brian Mills, director for campus recreation and wellness. “These stations also allow you to bring your own bottle and fill it up without the mess of using a water fountain.”

The idea of starting a fundraising campaign was discussed at a recent FSSC meeting, and FSSC came to the conclusion that in order to be able to purchase a fountain, the campaign would have to raise $1,000.

“My vision for this campaign is to start a new beginning at UHCL as we soar to greater heights,” Ryan said on the GoFundMe page.

The people involved in the campaign hope to have the $1,000 goal raised by May 4 and to have the fountain in place by June or July. If the goal is not reached, all of the people/organizations that contributed will be refunded their money.

“I think this campaign is great, and it could potentially be the start to other important campaigns/initiatives on campus that will directly benefit students,” Ikpeama said.

As of April 19, the campaign has successfully raised $300. To donate visit gofundme.com/hawks-funding.