Bay Area High Schoolers Learn About Local Water Sources

Pilot program funded by Alameda County and East Bay Municipal Utilities District brings water education to classrooms.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A pilot program is providing Bay Area high school students with lessons on the importance of where their local water comes from, the systems that bring it to their homes, and the threats to the supply. The program was founded by East Bay native Nina Gordon-Kirsch, who previously went on a 240-mile trek to trace the source of her drinking water. The program is now being taught in Oakland classrooms, with students learning about their local water systems and the impact of pollution.

Why it matters

Understanding where their water comes from and the challenges facing local water supplies is crucial for empowering young people to become more conscious consumers and advocates for water conservation and protection. The program aims to connect students to their local ecosystem and inspire them to take action in their own communities.

The details

The pilot program is funded by Alameda County's Clean Water Program, the East Bay Municipal Utilities District, and donors. Gordon-Kirsch recently visited Coliseum College Prep Academy in Oakland to teach a group of 9th graders about their local water sources and systems. Students used a 3D model to simulate how stormwater washes pollutants into rivers and streams. The program is being offered in partnership with the nonprofit Rivers for Change, whose mission is to change the way people think about and interact with water.

  • Four years ago, Gordon-Kirsch went on a 240-mile trek to trace the source of her drinking water.
  • The pilot program for Bay Area high school students launched this school year.

The players

Nina Gordon-Kirsch

An East Bay native who founded the pilot program after going on a 240-mile trek to trace the source of her drinking water.

Rivers for Change

A local nonprofit partnering with the program, whose mission is to change the way people think about and interact with water.

Coliseum College Prep Academy

An Oakland high school where the program was recently taught to a group of 9th graders.

Alameda County Clean Water Program

A program that provided funding for the water education pilot.

East Bay Municipal Utilities District

A utility district that also provided funding for the pilot program.

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What they’re saying

“This is a dream come true. It was my dream when I was actually doing the walk four years ago to talk to Bay Area students about where their water comes from, and now, it's actually happening.”

— Nina Gordon-Kirsch (cbsnews.com)

“The earlier the better that you can connect people to their water, to their river systems, understand holistically how they 're connected to a larger ecosystem and how they're connected to each other as communities upstream and downstream of each other.”

— Danielle Katz, Co-founder and director of Rivers for Change (cbsnews.com)

“Like yesterday when I went home and washed the dishes, I didn't really like use as much water because I'm, like, wow, I don't want to waste it anymore.”

— Edson Barbosa, Student (cbsnews.com)

“As a person living in the Bay, I want to know where my water comes from and I want to make sure it's clean so that I don't get sick.”

— Mohammed Mohsen, Student (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

Bay Area teachers interested in adopting the curriculum can fill out a form on the Rivers for Change website.

The takeaway

This program is empowering the next generation of Bay Area residents to understand and appreciate their local water sources, fostering a sense of stewardship and responsibility for protecting this vital resource.