Culmore kids promote tap water
By Shane Gomez
A local program is teaching students and residents in the Culmore area of Bailey’s Crossroads about the benefits of drinking tap water and the harm of single-use plastic.
Friends of Holmes Run and Hispanics Against Child Abuse and Neglect (HACAN) are partnering on programming to discourage residents skeptical of tap water from buying water in plastic bottles
Many Culmore residents come from countries where tap water is not safe to drink.
“Ecologically, tap is the hands-down winner when you compare it to plastic bottled water,” says Whitney Redding, co-founder and director of Friends of Holmes Run. The environmental education and advocacy nonprofit is dedicated to the Holmes Run watershed, where Culmore is one of the least green zip codes.
“Tap water doesn’t generate litter in our streams and storm drains,” contains fewer microplastics, and is cheaper, Redding says. “Fairfax Water, the source of drinking water in Fairfax County, consistently meets or surpasses state and federal regulatory requirements.”
Redding came up with idea to raise awareness about tap water a few years ago when she was leading a field trip for Culmore kids on the Holmes Run trail. She offered students and chaperones reusable water bottles with cold tap water but noticed that they were wary of drinking it and instead opted for plastic bottled water.
“It got me thinking,” Redding says.
The Friends of Holmes Run and HACAN started the tap water program in December with a grant from Fairfax Water. They got additional funding from the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services and the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.
The groups had lab testing done on tap water samples from 10 Culmore households, which found the water is safe to drink. They also developed children’s activities about protecting water quality in local sources, such as Holmes Run.
Students Training for Leadership and Advocacy (STAR), an after-school program run by HACAN in Culmore, was actively involved in spreading the word about tap water. Founded in 1985, HACAN is a nonprofit that supports Northern Virginia families through parent education and activities for youths.
Recently, members of STAR designed reusable metal water bottles with a slogan they created: “Una botella de plástico menos hace la diferencia. ¡Bebe más agua del grifo!” Or, in English, “One less plastic bottle makes a difference. Drink more tap!” They wrote, filmed, and acted in three Spanish-language public service announcements with the same message.
Related story: Culmore residents share concerns with Mason Supervisor Jimenez
In January, STAR members and their families filled two buses and took a trip to the Frederick P. Griffith Jr. Water Treatment Plant in Lorton. They learned that all drinking water is recycled and must undergo thorough treatment and meet safety regulations.
“We plan to expand our outreach to more families in the Culmore area,” says HACAN executive director Carla Paredes. “This is a pilot that we can bring to other areas in the county, because many families struggle with the same reality that they don’t trust the quality of water from the tap.”
Paredes and Redding hope to eventually develop bilingual educational toolkits for families about tap water awareness and distribute them to schools and libraries.
Shane Gomez is Annandale Today’s summer intern.
I use a filter for tap water – maybe this group can also suggest as much? I don’t like the way most tap water tastes, perhaps they feel the same.
The kids should inspect several water filters after running tap water through them (faucet, berkey, etc.), and let us know what they see. Tap water in this area has heavy metals such as lead, as verified by my multiple filters that I change every month. Tap water also has bacteria, sediment, and iron, as well as chlorine from trying to kill the bacteria.
Invest in some type of water filter if you plan on having your family exclusively drink tap water.
https://www.fox5dc.com/news/dc-arlington-water-pipes-get-annual-cleaning-officials-say-chlorine-taste-possible.amp
It may be in the legal limit but check out the EWG water safety guidelines, it’s well above what they recommend. Water in plastic bottles suck too, they contain microplastics. Tap water is fine if you have a good water filter, and I’m not talking about Brita, get a good one. If you don’t filter it, then your kidneys will, and get bogged down over time.
Fairfax Water is some of the finest in the Country -especially if your supply doesn’t come from the Potomac – (its processed differently than the Occaquan water supply. Having said that, Fairfax Water adds Fluoride – make your own decision about that – and – it does contain the “other stuff” that usually comes with piped water – for drinking – learn about filtering options and use one that suits your tolerance for “stuff” in your water. Then, don’t use certain plastic refillable bottles – and don’t leave a plastic bottle in a hot car – you’ll be drinking forever plastics –
Water supply for many Northern Virginians exceeds acceptable levels of forever chemicals – https://wtop.com/virginia/2025/07/water-supply-for-many-northern-virginians-exceeds-acceptable-levels-of-forever-chemicals/
The key is “water supply” -not the product that leaves Fairfax Water to our homes.