The water fountains at McNeil have been a dependable spot for students to stay hydrated, equipped with filters that keep the water fresh and cool. Each fountain shows a light—green, yellow, or red—to indicate the filter’s condition. When the light is green, the water is safe to drink, if it’s red, the filter needs replacing.

“I avoid the water fountains that have the red light. I usually wait to use the one in G-wing because the filter is green and the water is cold.” senior Reagan Garcia said. “I think the school stopped maintaining the water fountains because of recent budget cuts.”

In past years, every water fountain had a green light, so students didn’t have to think twice about the quality of water they were drinking. Starting in 2024-2025, more water fountains across campus indicate poor water quality, except for those in busy areas, such as A, B, and C-wing.

“As an athlete who trains for soccer, we fill up our water bottles multiple times per day. There’s a water fountain in the gym that’s always on red,” junior Sofia Rogers said. “It’s not good for kids in general. Making sure that students have clean water should be the main priority.”

In response to these important concerns raised by students, the administration provided context regarding the filter status of water fountains across campus.

“Our maintenance team changes the filters periodically,” Assistant Principal James Evans said. “The lights on the fountains are malfunctioning, and as much as we want the lights to reflect the water’s actual quality, we would need to replace every water fountain.