SCOTTISH Water has announced that its network of Top Up Taps has reached a major milestone by saving the equivalent of 15 million plastic bottles.
The utility revealed its network of 131 blue Top Up Taps, designed to promote the use of refillable water bottles and reduce single-use plastic, has now saved the equivalent of 15 million single-use 330ml plastic bottles.
The achievement is a result of people using the taps to refill their bottles by tapping into the country’s water supply while on the go.
Scottish Water has also highlighted the top 10 most-used Top Up Taps, with the tap at The Meadows in Edinburgh leading the way, followed by Buchanan Street in Glasgow city centre, and the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, which was the first tap installed.
The network of taps, from Lerwick in the north to Portpatrick in the south, provides free public mains water and digitally logs the amount of water used. The taps are equipped with technology that tracks water usage, providing data on cost savings, plastic reduction, and water volume used.
The initiative forms part of Scottish Water’s Your Water Your Life campaign, which celebrates the quality of Scotland’s water and encourages environmental protection and personal health.
Alex Plant, Scottish Water chief executive, said, “We are thrilled that so many people have used the taps, saving the equivalent of 15 million single-use plastic bottles. We thank everyone who fills up from our big blue taps with a reusable bottle and hope more people will do the same in the future.
“With summer approaching and more of us out and about, we urge everyone to carry a refillable bottle and use our Top Up Taps to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water is essential for concentration, health, and performance.”
Andrew Pankhurst, communications lead at Zero Waste Scotland, added, “This is a fantastic example of the circular economy in action. By making use of Scottish Water’s blue Top up Taps and saving the equivalent of 15 million single use plastic bottles from circulation, we’re seeing proof of how small changes can drive big environmental transformation. It is inspiring to see people in Scotland taking positive steps towards a circular Scotland – one refill at a time.”
The Top 10 Top Up Taps and the average number of bottles saved in the past year are:
1 Edinburgh Meadows Pavilion – average number of bottles saved in the past year 14,721
2 Glasgow Buchanan Street – 14,425
3 Edinburgh Scottish Parliament – 12,096
4 Balmaha – 11,806
5 Edinburgh Portobello Promenade – 11,607
6 Edinburgh Leith Links Refill Station – 11,475
7 East Kilbride Calderglen Park – 10,530
8 Glasgow Riverside Museum -10,167
9 Edinburgh Royal Botanical Gardens – 10,030
10 Edinburgh Grassmarket – 9,727
