Thirsting for Knowledge: Why Water Affordability is Crucial for Back to School

As we pack backpacks and prepare classrooms for back to school, fill water bottles and add snacks to lunchboxes, the idea of turning on the tap might be taken for granted. But along with school supplies, curriculum planning, and scheduling, water can be a source of anxiety for hundreds of thousands of Michigan families, teachers, and students.

For students, proper hydration is linked to focus, behavior, and academic performance. When children are dehydrated, they struggle to concentrate. Worrying about water at home causes stress in the classroom.

But for too many Michigan families, staying hydrated isn’t as simple as filling a glass at the tap. Families are making the impossible choice between paying their water bill and covering other basic needs like rent, groceries, or medication. Water rates have risen dramatically over the years, while wages have not kept up the same pace.

Teachers know that students can’t learn when they’re distracted, tired, or sick. When water becomes unaffordable, those consequences ripple directly to schools: 

• Students may come dehydrated to school, impacting their ability to focus and learn,

• Families may have to ration water, affecting hygiene and leading to higher rates of illness,

• Households face shutoffs, creating housing instability that disrupts education, and

• Children carry the stress of these challenges into the classroom, leading to poorer physical, mental, and emotional health regulation. 

The educational consequences last a lifetime. Early childhood access to clean water increases the likelihood of completing secondary school, because when children attend school more regularly, they focus better, allowing them to achieve more.

This means that access to clean water is about more than just health. Water insecurity leads to school absences, lower educational attainment, and long-term developmental setbacks. In schools around the world, reliable water has been shown to reduce waterborne diseases, improve attendance, and allow students to focus on learning instead of thirst.

The Affordable Water Now legislative package offers a proven approach to this crisis by creating Michigan’s first statewide water affordability program. 

[LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE WATER NOW LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE] 

Water is the foundation for health, learning, and opportunity. As students return to school this year, let’s ensure we’re giving them everything they need to succeed. That includes access to clean, affordable water.