Students walking up the four flights of stairs after physical education class in the gym are often thirsty. Only many don’t want to drink from the school’s less-than-ideal water fountains. The fountains are “nasty,” said Brandon Genao, a senior. “I’ve never done it (drank from the fountain). It’s not appealing to me. It’s dirty.”

To ease the thirst, Bronx River High School started handing out free bottles of water to students last year.

“We started to give out the water bottles in the main office because kids did not want to drink from the old water fountains since they are old and dirty,” explained principal Greg Fucheck.

BRHS continued giving out free water bottles when school started again this year but then suddenly without warning, stopped, and students wondered why.

“We had to get rid of the water because the cost was way too much to keep up, ” said Mr. Fucheck. “So we are bringing in new water fountains to replace the water bottles we were giving out in the main office.”

He hopes the fountains, which have filtered water, will be installed this spring.

In the meantime, students are making do or going without. After gym, students are sweaty and tired and need a drink, said senior Isaiah Reyes. For Reyes and the other thirsty students, the new fountains can’t arrive soon enough.