To drink or not to drink: Water vs. Ideals
With all the rain blessing Belize this week, it seems appropriate that tonight, we should feature a story about water. Today was celebrated as Water Day with a fair at the Memorial Park in Belize City. News 5 stopped by to get the 411 on H2O.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
It had nothing with the water falling from the sky, but this morning the Water Day Fair, observed in Latin America and the Caribbean on October sixth, was celebrated in Belize so school children could attend. This year fair organisers decided to focus on the relationship between water and health.
Rony Maza, Environmental Health Officer, PAHO
“Our own existence and water relation is so closely related that we cannot take it for granted. And although in Belize we think that we have abundant water, when it comes to quality and making us healthy with the quality of drinking water, we have to really pass on that message to the public that when it comes to water, please cherish it as the vital source of life.”
“We all need water to survive.” That’s the message that government organisations, environmental agencies and water companies were giving to the children as they visited various display booths.
The children gathered information and collected prizes from the many quizzes that formed part of the activities. School Health and Physical Education, SHAPES, is one organisation that has been encouraging school children to drink a water ideal than the usual sweet liquid.
Shirlene Tablada, Manager, SHAPES
“That is something we have noticed, that children tend to go with the ideal and softdrinks simply because they go for what’s nice and sweet. But with the SHAPES programme, we hope that that will change shortly. What we’re focussing on is educating our children to make healthy choices. So with the education and the public awareness campaigns that we’re engaging in, I’m sure that we’ll shortly see a difference and see our children drinking more water.”
The children were tested on how much they know about H20 and just how essential water is to life. It is equally important to make sure that the water you are drinking is safe.
John Bowden, Inspector, Public Health Bureau
“If you’re unsure of the source of your water, then it’s wise for you to check with the public health bureau to run a test for you. This can be done by the bureau free of cost.”
It is estimated that a total of forty students from primary and secondary schools attended the Inter-American Water Day Fair. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
The fair is usually celebrated annually, but due to Hurricane Keith it was cancelled last year. A total of twenty companies participated in this year’s activity. The event was organised by PAHO, SHAPES and HECOPAB.
