Examples of How to Offer Water

SFAs may implement the water requirement in a variety of ways. Some examples are listed below.

• Offer water pitchers and cups on tables or in an area that is easily accessible to all students during meals and afterschool snacks.
• Provide a water fountain or a faucet that allows unrestricted access for students to fill their own bottles or cups with drinking water. This option must comply with the requirements below.
  1. The location of the water fountain or faucet must be in the foodservice area or immediately adjacent. An example is a water fountain that is right outside the door to the foodservice area and accessible to all students during the meal period.
  2. The water fountain or faucet must be operational. 
  3. Staff members who supervise students in the cafeteria, such as lunch aides or paraprofessionals, must allow students to leave their tables to access the water fountain or faucet during the meal service, and should be trained on this requirement. Students do not have unrestricted access to water if staff members deny their requests to get a drink of water. 
• Offer bottled water at no cost to students. 

SFAs may make plain potable water available in any way that 1) is without restriction where reimbursable meals and afterschool snacks are served; and 2) meets the USDA's requirements for an allowable cost to the NSFSA.