aquafil™ Drinking Fountains for Lake Wendouree

The first lake Wendouree aquafil Drinking Fountain has been opened at St Patrick’s Point.

Central Highlands Water’s Chair Mr Jeremy Johnson and City of Ballarat Mayor Cr John Burt OAM officially opened the first of eight new drinking fountains on Friday at St Patrick’s Point as part of the Lake Wendouree Drinking Fountains project.
Four new aquafil drinking water fountains featuring bottle refill dispensers, dog drinking bowls and wheelchair accessible bubblers and four replacement Furphy drinking fountains will be installed at various intervals along the Steve Moneghetti track.
The drinking water fountains project is the result of a community partnership between Central Highlands Water and the City of Ballarat to enhance Lake Wendouree.
Mr Jeremy Johnson, Chair, Central Highlands Water says the commencement of this project signifies a strong partnership with an excellent result for the community.
“The Lake is used by many people from runners, walkers, families and rowers and it is with great pleasure that we are going to provide fresh drinking water to these and many other Lake users,” Mr Johnson said.
Mayor Cr John Burt OAM says the new drinking stations are sure to be welcomed by the community, especially during the summer months.

Read the full story at The MineR

By |Environment, Health
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Eaton, Hong Kong suspends the use of plastic bottled water

Eaton Hotel, Hong Kong has invested HK$500,000 on the installation of an eco-friendly drinking water purification system that allows glass bottles to be re-used and suspended the use of plastic bottled water.

This is a great initiative and should save 350,000 plastic bottles each year from landfill, a positive result for our environment.

Katrina Cheng, Eatons Environmental Officer believes the $500,000 will be covered over the first two years as they no longer have to purchase hundreds of plastic bottles every month.

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By |Environment
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Deakin University making its mark in water conservation

Case Study

August 29, 2013

Working towards its ‘Green Star’ goal

Challenge: Environmentally sustainable initiatives to help reach goal of becoming a ‘Green Star – Education v1’ enterprise.

Solution: Water refill stations and drinking fountains across three Deakin campuses.

Result: A sustainable initiative in the effort to achieve best practice water conservation.

Working towards its goal of being a ’Green Star – Education v1’ enterprise that integrates environmental sustainability principles into all of its operations, policies and activities, Deakin University has installed aquafil™ water refill stations and drinking fountains in key locations across three campuses.

This is one of several environmentally sustainable initiatives implemented by Deakin in an effort to achieve best practice water conservation, stormwater management and waste management practices, following detailed water audits that were undertaken at each campus.

Detailed research around accessibility was carried out to determine which water units would be best suited to the University’s needs.

aquafil™ offers a wide range of water refill stations and drinking fountains to choose from. As well as being wheelchair accessible, the units have a range of optional features, such as water meters to track usage, filtered or non-filtered options, dog bowls and display panels for advertising.

‘The units met accessibility requirements from an OHS perspective and the choice of optional extras made aquafil™ the perfect choice,’ says Amanda Neilson, Deakin University’s Senior Sustainability Officer.

Thirteen aquafil™ water refill stations and drinking fountains have been installed across three Deakin campuses – Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, Melbourne Burwood Campus and Warrnambool Campus.

The initiative, coupled with the ’Be Smart Choose Tap‘ awareness campaign, has helped encourage staff and students to refill their own drink bottles instead of purchasing water in plastic bottles, aligning with the University’s objective to reduce waste to landfill.

Melbourne is reputed for having some of the best drinking water in the world, but each year Australians still spend more than $500 million on purchasing bottled water. This means Australians are paying 700 times more per 500ml of bottled water than they would for tap water.

Not only are millions of dollars wasted annually on bottled water, the plastic waste that ends up in landfill, waterways and oceans has a severe impact on our environment. Plastic bottles, which take an average estimated time of 450 years to break down, kill our bird and marine life when they mistake them for food.

The installation of aquafil™ water refill stations and drinking fountains addresses a key feature in Deakin’s Strategic Plan LIVE the future: Agenda 2020, which provides the opportunity to extend the definition and practice of ‘sustainability’ to include economic, social and environmental concepts.

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By |Case Studies, Environment, Health
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Turtles swallowing plastic in record amounts

12 August, 2013

news.com.au

GREEN turtles are swallowing plastic at twice the rate they did 25 years ago, according to a new study.

The finding is based on data collected across the globe since the late 1980s and analysed by researchers at the University of Queensland.

Study leader and PhD candidate Qamar Schuyler says green and leatherback turtles are eating more plastic than ever before and more than any other form of debris.

The ages of turtles and their habitats are also factors.

“Our research revealed that young ocean-going turtles were more likely to eat plastic than their older, coastal-dwelling relatives,” Ms Schuyler said on Friday.

Amazingly, stranded turtles found adjacent to heavily populated New York City showed little or no evidence of debris ingestion.

But all stranded turtles found near an undeveloped area of southern Brazil had eaten debris, Ms Schuyler said.

Read the full story at news.com.au
By |Environment
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University Students say No to plastic bottles

9 August, 2013

UWA University News

Students have saved up to 15,833 plastic water bottles from going to landfill this semester.

But they haven’t been going thirsty.

In February the Sustainable Development Office installed a filtered water refill station in the Guild courtyard. The refill station is the first of several that Recycling and Waste Management Coordinator, Alain Twynham, aims to have installed across campus to help decrease the number of plastic bottles that make their way into landfill.

Alain said 9,500 litres of water had been used from the refill station. “That’s equivalent to 15,833 600ml bottles,” he said.

The free refill station promotes a healthier lifestyle for students and staff. It is connected to the mains water supply, and filters out chlorine and other chemicals.

There has been immense support and positive feedback, especially from students.

“The water station is very popular and will hopefully permanently reduce the number of plastic bottles from UWA that end up in landfill,” said Trish Howard from Sustainability Projects.

The Student Guild was supportive of the refill station’s installation in the village and its associated environmental and health benefits.

Say NO to plastic bottles!

Read the full story at UWA University News

Photo courtesy of UWA

aquafil™ Water Refill Stations and Drinking Fountains

Water is essential for healthy living and is crucial for sporting, mental and academic performances. Tap water represents value for money as it’s cheaper for the community than buying bottled water or other soft drinks.

The aquafil range of Water Bottle Refill Stations and Drinking Fountains serve as a dynamic educational tool in the fight to reduce plastic waste and conserve precious resources. Full colour graphics are available on most of the aquafil range and are a valuable educational tool in helping promote a sustainable way of living and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

By |Environment, Health
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Water cannot be organic

July 18, 2013

Water cannot be organic according to standards stating that it cannot be. Organic, when used to refer to food and drink, refers to the farming practices of agricultrural products and as water is not an agricultural product it can not be described as organic.

As a result there have been a number of brand name changes recently due to an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) directive for water companies to remove ‘organic’ claims from their labeling and branding. The ACCC rejected a number of claims from manufacturers claiming the word ‘organic’ was not a representation but part of their brand name.

“Organic standards acknowledge that water cannot be organic. Any claim that particular water is organic would therefore be misleading or deceptive, and manufacturers cannot hide misleading claims in their brand name,” Delia Rickard, ACCC Deputy Chair said.

The manufacturers identified have already begun supplying bottles with amended labels. The ACCC said it expects that organic claims will soon have largely disappeared from the labels of bottled water at retail outlets.

The ACCC has called on consumers who see brands of bottled water featuring organic claims to contact the ACCC and retailers who still have stock should contact their distributors. The ACCC  will continue to monitor the progress of the changes and will “engage further with retailers and manufacturers if further work needs to be undertaken”.

Read the full article at ACCC

Picture courtesy of the ACCC

 

By |Environment
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Yarra Valley Water encourages customers to Choose Tap

Case Study

July 3, 2013

Saving dollars and our environment

Yarra Valley Water’s ‘Choose Tap’ program engages the community on drinking tap water as an important element of a healthy lifestyle and as a much cheaper and environmentally friendly alternative to expensive bottled water and other plastic packaged drinks.

Melbourne is reputed to have some of the best drinking water in the world, yet each year Australians spend more than $500 million on purchasing bottled water.

However it’s the plastic waste that ends up in landfill, waterways and oceans that causes the most harm. The environmental impact of this waste is huge and is killing our bird and marine life who mistake it for food. The average length of time it takes for a plastic bottle to break down is 450 years.

Following a customer survey, Yarra Valley Water found that people were frustrated by a lack of accessibility to tap water when they were out and about, which is why many purchased bottled water. The findings showed that the public would happily drink tap water if it was more readily available in public spaces.

Armed with this information, Yarra Valley Water looked at ways to meet customer demand by providing easy accessibility to good quality drinking water when they’re out and about. This launched the ‘Choose Tap’ initiative, a program all about choice – the choice to easily use and access free, good quality drinking water and the choice to live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

Yarra Valley Water set about researching a number of products that would fill the brief to conveniently supply quality drinking water to the public while promoting the smart choice message – and chose the aquafil™ product range of Water Refill Stations. They met and exceeded the brief by offering a range of options such as filtered and non-filtered water, meters to track usage, dog bowls and by being wheel chair accessible. Promoting the Choose Tap message, while keeping people and animals hydrated and healthy, what a bonus!

“We chose aquafil because of the quality of the unit. It will be able to endure the harsh public outdoor environment and withstand the test of time,” says Kelly Berghella, Program Manager, Customer Programs at Yarra Valley Water.

“Having a large area on which to display branding, messages and artwork was an added bonus.”

Yarra Valley Water has since worked with local councils to install 25 aquafil units to supply the public with drinking water across its service area.

They can be found at recreational spaces such as ovals and walking trails, shopping precincts, hospitals, universities and TAFES, providing the community with a free, convenient and environmentally friendly way to stay healthy and hydrated.

Yarra Ranges Council was the first council to partner with Yarra Valley Water to install a Water Refill Station in its municipality at Lilydale Lake. Visitors to the Lilydale Lake aquafil unit have since consumed 64,450 litres of tap water over the past two years equating to 184,143 plastic 350ml drinking bottles.  That’s a lot of bottles saved from landfill.

The Choose Tap program also sees Yarra Valley Water partner with local sporting clubs, fun runs and festivals promote its message, with the aquafil Portable Water Refill Stations branded as Portable Hydration Stations. It doesn’t end there; local cafes and restaurants are now promoting ‘Choose Tap’ with the use of ‘Choose Tap’ glass bottles for patrons.

Schools are also coming on board with a fundraising initiative to sell Choose Tap reusable water bottles – a much healthier and long-lasting alternative to chocolate bar fundraisers.

Melburnians can sometimes take their quality tap water for granted and forget about the negative impact bottled water has on our pockets and our environment.

With 25 aquafil Water Refill Stations now installed and 24 more due to be rolled out over the second half of 2013, Yarra Valley Water is leading the way in helping to promote a healthy lifestyle and create a better environment for tomorrow.

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By |Environment
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The Cost of Bottled Water – 2000 times more than tap

June 12, 2013

Choice – The Peoples Watchdog

by Elise Dalley

Australian consumers pay almost 2000 times more than the cost of tap water to drink from a bottle.

While a litre of tap water in Sydney costs only a fraction of a cent, you can pay upwards of $3.88 a litre for bottled water, with a large proportion of this cost coming from producing the plastic bottle, lid and label. And the costs over time can add up considerably.

If you hydrate yourself with two litres a day straight from the tap, you’ll pay about $1.50 a year. Drink the same amount from single-serve bottles, however, and you could be looking at $2800 or more a year.

Yet all Australians have access to safe drinking water, and for most of us it’s readily available via the tap. Water trends from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2006 environment survey show 93% of Australian households were connected to mains/town water in March 2004. Almost all households (98%) in capital cities were connected, compared with 86% of households outside the capitals.

Tap vs bottle

Industry group the Australasian Bottled Water Institute (ABWI) estimates the industry is worth about $500 million a year. This equates to the sale of roughly 600 megalitres of water, 60% of which is sold in single-serve bottles. On a national level, about one in five households bought bottled water in 2004, compared with 16% in 2001. In fact, almost one in 10 households says it’s their main source of drinking water.

In the 10 years to 2004, the proportion of households buying bottled water increased from three per cent to 21%. Market researchers Canadean say world consumption of bottled water has doubled in the past decade, and predict bottled water will overtake carbonated drinks as the leading drink category by 2015.

On tap

Mains tap water in Australian cities is supplied by utilities, while in rural and regional areas it’s the responsibility of local council. Individual state health departments are responsible for regulating water quality monitoring. The water from your tap starts its journey from catchment zones, dams, rivers and even the ocean before flowing through filtration plants designed to remove contaminants and bring water in line with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Set by the National Health and Medical Research Council, these guidelines define safe, good-quality water and how it is achieved and assured.

The poor taste of their mains water can lead some people to choose bottled water but, aside from the cost, there are also health and environmental arguments for tap water.

If the quality of tap water is a problem where you live – see State-by-state water quality – there are a number of water filters on the market that can help you save money in the long term. These are available with different filter cartridges that help remove impurities, which may help with taste.
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By |Environment, Health
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Disabled Student fights for improved access to university’s facilities

Ben’s story: Improved access to a university’s facilities and cinema

I have a physical disability and use a powered wheelchair for mobility. While studying at university, I experienced several issues with regard to wheelchair access to the various facilities on campus. I worked with the university’s disability officers to successfully and speedily resolve many of these issues before they became problematic. However, one major building refurbishment on campus which presented ideal opportunities to correct long standing impediments to access for people with disabilities was particularly challenging.

The university’s on-campus cinema had an appalling and unsafe standard of wheelchair access into and within the cinema. This included a very narrow access way with a steep drop-off to be negotiated to the ‘wheelchair access’ seating. On hearing of the proposed refurbishment, I was excited and eager to ensure that the cinema would finally obtain first rate wheelchair access. I wrote to the project team requesting details on wheelchair access provisions, with the response assuring me that “Access for people with disabilities is very important and will be properly considered in the design…” At that stage, warning bells and flashing red lights filled my mind having previously experienced how such vague statements usually fail to deliver. So I shot back a letter requesting a meeting with the architects and project team. After some deliberations, a disability access expert and I trundled in to meet them.

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By |Environment
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Yarra Valley’s Choose Tap App

Encouraging people to choose tap water over bottled water has taken on a new edge with Yara Valley Water launching its new Be Smart Choose Tap App.

Research has shown that people often drink bottled water because they do not have access to tap water. The Choose Tap app will help them find the nearest Water Refill Station and Drinking Fountain. This will reduce the amount of plastic ending up in landfill and our waterways as more than half of all plastic bottles purchased are discarded without any thought as to the damage they do to the environment.

To date, Yarra Valley Water has added all the water refill stations within their municipalities, including those in recreation areas under the Choose Tap program. It is also encouraging other councils to submit their water refill stations locations and asking the community to help map the water refill stations and drinking fountains that are not on the app.

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By |Environment
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