Water on tap at Aquatic Centre

WHILE some of the forty-eight thousand visitors per month to the Ballarat Aquatic & Lifestyle Centre are probably there to swim in the water, they now have access to free drinking water.

Central Highlands Water, in partnership with the City of Ballarat, are providing three new drinking water fountains at the centre.

When unveiling the water stations, Jacqueline O’Neill, General Manager of Customer and Community for Central Highlands Water said choosing tap water and refilling reusable bottles means less plastic is produced.

“Through this initiative, we are not only encouraging hydration, but we are joining forces to eliminate plastic waste,” Ms O’Neill said. “Access to the new water fountains will go a long way towards creating a healthier environment.”

In Australia, more than $680 million is spent per year on bottled water with half of these single-use bottles going to landfill.

Ballarat’s Deputy Mayor, Cr Belinda Coates said it was very appropriate to launch the initiative during National Recycling Week.

As a self-professed “waste and environmental nerd” Cr Coates said the scheme has so many benefits.

“I grew up in the 70s and the idea of paying for bottled water was unimaginable,” she said. “Free water is an important part of health and wellbeing.

“The more we think about waste we think more about avoiding the waste.

“So, filling re-usable bottles at drinking water fountains is another step in the right direction in safe guarding the natural world.”