Facilities Management and Services installed two new water bottle fill-up stations over winter break, with the goal of reducing the use of plastic water bottles and creating a more eco-friendly and sustainable campus.

The project is in the pilot stage. Whether or not these stations become permanent will rely on feedback from the Chico State community.

“Tons of people use reusable water bottles for class and the gym,” said Shea Bertsch, senior psychology major. “It’s a good idea.”

The stations were added to the second and third floors of Glenn Hall, replacing a set of old lockers. They include two new Elkay EZ Green bottle filler and water fountain combination units.

Each unit has an extremely high water fill-up rate, enabling students to quickly replenish water bottles during short breaks between classes.

Another feature is an LED readout displaying the number of plastic bottles that have potentially been eliminated by using the stations. This gives students an idea of the positive impact these stations are having on the environment.

Not all students were thrilled with the new product.

“Yeah, I think I saw them in Glenn,” said Jonathan Torres, business major. “I haven’t really had any thought on them besides the water doesn’t feel as cold.”

According to Facilities Management and Services, two more hydration stations will be installed in the Student Services Center before the end of the semester.

The department is collecting feedback on the new stations in order to evaluate their effectiveness.

Elaine Knudsen can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.