Hydrated and Ready for Summer

By Carrie Metzgar, Campus Physical & Environmental Planning
Anne Krieghoff, Facilities Management
Dyan Hall, UCI HR Wellness

July 1, 2020

It’s officially summertime and temperatures are rising. Staying hydrated is essential any time of year, but the hot summer months often remind us just how important drinking water is for our health and well-being. The benefits to drinking water is extensive, with key benefits including increased energy, improved cognitive functioning, headache prevention, maintaining of healthy weight, and moisturization of skin. Whether you are on campus or at home, UCI provides resources to help keep you hydrated and ready for the summer.

Hydration on Campus

In an effort to encourage greater water consumption while reducing the use of plastic water bottles, UCI Facilities Management has installed 58 hydration stations throughout campus. Click here to view a map of locations. Of the current locations, 27 are water bottle filling stations (with the majority having touchless dispensing) and 31 are gooseneck additions to water fountains. An additional 18 new water bottle filling stations and 18 gooseneck additions will be installed by year’s end, bringing the campus total to over 90 filling stations. The funding is provided through the $100,000 Healthy Beverage Grant, which includes installation as well as improved signage to better educate about the benefits of drinking water. Bring your reusable water bottle to campus and re-fill throughout the day with filtered, chilled water!

Gooseneck addition.	Touchless water bottle filling station.

Hydration at Home

Did you know the adult human body is composed of about 60% water? Our bodies need water in order to help maintain its balance of fluids that support digestion, absorption, body temperature, and more. UCI HR Wellness has enacted the Drink More Water Campaign to provide helpful steps to drink more water. The first step towards increasing your daily intake is to calculate how much water your body actually needs. Use the Hydration Calculator to determine how much water you should be drinking on a daily basis. Then begin to take simple steps towards greater water consumption by adding flavor to your water, eating water rich foods, or making it a part of your morning and nighttime routine.