Some students are in favor of one student senate member’s idea to begin a water purification program in the residence halls, but the city also has plans to improve city tapwater in the future.

Daryl Jones, student vice president for public affairs, is collecting information on starting a water purification program in the residence halls. Jones said he wants vending machines placed in the halls that would allow residents to buy purified water by the gallon, much like the machines at grocery stores.

The rate also would be similar, he said. The water would cost students about 25 to 50 cents per gallon.

“I know when I lived in the residence halls, I would buy water out of the vending machines for a dollar a bottle,” Jones said. “With this program, students wouldn’t have to leave the hall, and they could get a gallon for a quarter.”

The City of Charleston is already implementing a program to improve water quality, said City Manager Bill Riebe.

“The new water plant that we’re building is specifically targeted at eliminating taste and odor from the tapwater,” Riebe said. “The plant utilizes ozone and granular-activated carbon in its filtration process, the same things used by the vending machines in the stores.”

Riebe said the plant will be up and running within the next two years.

“I won’t say the university shouldn’t pursue this program. I’d just hate to see them put money toward this that they could use for something else,” he said.

Many particulars still need to be looked into before the residence halls can be equipped with these machines, including the vending machine contract the school has with Pepsi, but students’ reaction overall has been very receptive.

“The water here tastes kind of fishy,” said Scott Butler, a junior journalism major. “It never really bothers me because I’m cheap, but there are some yuppies on this campus who can’t drink anything but bottled water.”

However, Butler said if the facilities were available, he would definitely take advantage of them.

“I think it is a great idea regardless. The water still tastes funny, and if I had the stuff available, I would definitely use it,” he said.

His statements were echoed by Leo Cromwell, a sophomore sports medicine major.

“I would definitely pay for it if it was available in the dorm,” Cromwell said. “You could even divide the cost of the machine between the people who live here and get the most advantage out of it being close.”

The timeless question of money has some thinking about the value of the machines.

“Most of the people I have talked to have accepted the idea but are concerned about it raising their housing costs,” said Kristen Wooden, student senate member.