Martin County, Kentucky has a population of 11,452 people according to the 2017 United States Census Bureau. The population of Martin County has decreased significantly, more than 11% since the previous recorded data from 2010. The decline in population is largely attributed lack of employment opportunities and poor quality and access to safe drinking water. Lack of access to safe and clean drinking water may also be contributed to the 31% of adults who are missing six or more teeth, compared to the average of Kentucky at 24%. Martin County has been nationally recognized for their persistent water challenge from CNN, US News, and World Report in 2017 and 2018.

To assist in addressing this ongoing issue, twenty water bottle filling stations were installed at every school throughout the county. The University of Cooperative Extension Service, including Family and Consumer Sciences and 4H, the Nutrition Education Program, and Martin County school officials partnered to install and utilize these water filling stations. In addition, the University of Kentucky FCS, 4H, and NEP programs helped supply reusable water bottles to all students. This was also an opportunity to educate students regarding healthier beverage choices – to choose water over sugar sweetened beverages.

Through successful collaboration between UK Cooperative Extension, Board of Education, 319 staff and over 2,000 students have gained access to clean drinking water through the water filling stations. More than 17,000 water bottles have been filled in the county schools. Educational programming has also been effective part of the process to encourage water consumption versus the alternative, which is sugar sweetened beverage.