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We believe every student has the right to safe tap water. Even more, we believe in everyone's right to make an informed decision about it.
Born from an NSF award, supported by Columbia University’s Climate School, our work began with 3 observations.
By connecting classrooms, data, and infrastructure, TAP helps communities make tap water a source of health, not worry.
- A gap in education
While some curricula exist, official learning standards do not focus on tap water. Students learn about the water cycle, but how are they to know if the water from their school fountain is safe to drink?
2. Untapped Data
2. Untapped Data
Government agencies measure and publish critical data on the state of our water resources, infrastructure and quality. Can this data hosted on interactive websites be leveraged to build students' understanding and inform their choices?
3. Infrastructure
3. Infrastructure
From aging pipes to emerging contaminants, America’s water systems face real challenges that don't spare schools. Are the water fountains, their monitoring and maintenance adequate to support students' safe hydration?
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, we thank all the students that we met along the way. From born and raised New Yorkers to recent immigrants, each of their water stories rooted our work.
Many thanks are equally due to the teaching, custodial, and administrative staff of Eagle Academy Harlem, in particular to Mr. Lee for his valuable insights into tap water quality maintenance and monitoring, and Principal Edwards for his encouragements and championing of water fountains throughout the floors of the school.
We thank Pearl, who encouraged applying for targeted funding, and the team of graduate researchers, who conducted initial data analysis.
This project was supported by seed funding from the Columbia University Climate School and the National Science Foundation (NSF Award #2048958).
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