How Merced is providing thousands of free water bottles this summer
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Merced Library distributes up to 12,000 free water bottles during summer.
- PG&E grant supplies $10,000 to fund cooling centers through October 31, 2025.
- Cooling zones activate, when temperatures hit 100 degrees, starting May 30.
Up to 12,000. That is the number of free water bottles the Merced Library could provide to patrons this summer; over 200,000 fluid ounces and enough to fill nearly 20 bathtubs.
The library serves as one of 17 cooling zones in the county, providing air conditioning, places to sit and free water bottles to residents.
Smruti Deshpande, supervising librarian, said the library hands out between 85 to 112 bottles a day just at the Merced branch.
In total, the Merced Department of Emergency Services purchases between six and 10 2,000-bottle pallets every summer, according to Mike North, public information officer for the county. The 2025 purchases are funded by a $10,000 grant from PG&E, which began funding cooling centers in the state in 2007.
Deshpande said the number of water bottles does not reflect the total number of people using the cooling center as some people do not take any bottles, while others take more than one, either to have water after leaving or to care for pets.
She said the cooling zones opened on the first day of the year to reach 100 degrees — May 30 — and will close once cooler temperatures arrive. The county website lists Oct. 31 as the closing date for the centers.