We all remember the rows of drinking fountains at school - and still see them regularly if we go to schools as teachers, students or parents.

Unfortunately, drinking taps like that are not very efficient - a lot of water is lost each time someone has a drink. Having cups instead wouldn’t really help - kids would still spill it or pour out what they didn’t finish and then the cups would have to be washed, etc.

So many schools now put ice-cream containers underneath the drinking taps or run the trough into a bucket instead of the storm water system. The collected water can then be used to water the school gardens or oval.

Of course, these systems only have value if someone actually pours the collected water onto a garden or oval! I always empty the ice-cream containers when I walk past them at my kids’ school - do you ever empty such containers?

If someone is rostered to do this task it will (hopefully) be done regulalry but it may mean some lost water if the container fills before they get to empty it. So perhaps it is best to train the children themselves - “if you see the container is at least half full, carry it to a plant and water it!” This sort of behaviour should be part fo what they are learning anyway.

How is drinking water waste dealt with at schools near you?