The private health foundation, California Endowment says 120 schools in California's Central Valley will receive water-purification stations.
The foundation paid for the stations as part of its pilot project called "Agua For All."
Julia Helmreich with the Rural Community Assistance Corporation says the new stations help solve two problems.
"In schools, not only is there not a drinking fountain located in the cafeteria or the place where the meals are provided, but many of those schools also don't have safe drinking water."
Helmreich says state law mandates drinking fountains in all school eating areas, but does not provide funding for installation.
She says 2,500 California schools lack drinking fountains. Six hundred schools don't have drinkable water.
Today, California Endowment launched a new campaign to find partners that will help pay for more water-purification stations.
The California Endowment provides funding to Capital Public Radio.
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