Trafalgar customers given free water
Feeling thirsty while shopping in Trafalgar? Six businesses in the town have committed to providing free water to customers.
Water Works is a pilot program being launched in Trafalgar this month.
Six Trafalgar businesses have signed up to provide accessible free water at their premises.
Passers-by who are looking to quench a thirst or fill a water bottle will be encouraged to do so without the expectation of purchase in-store.
Trafalgar businesses participating in the pilot project will display a blue Water Works sticker on shop windows.
The purpose of the project is simple - to connect all members of the community to drinking water while they are out and about in the town centre.
The project is an initiative of five members of the Gippsland Community Leadership Program including Den Lim, Ainsley James, Brendan Pfanner, Anthony Goode and Erika McInerney.
Mr Pfanner, a teacher with the School for Student Leadership, said they wanted to create a project that had environmental significance and they ended up with something much bigger.
Federation University Australia nursing academic Dr James said there was great health potential in the project.
“In Gippsland we are seeing an increase in type two diabetes and obesity, with one of the factors being the overconsumption of sugary soft drinks.
“We hope that a successful pilot in Trafalgar will lead to more towns across the region, offering this opportunity to make a healthy choice when it comes to hydration,” Dr James said.
Warragul business woman Erika McInerney said she was spurred on by her own experiences as a mum of young children.
“I would often walk into town with my kids and find that there was nowhere to fill up water bottles.
“The options were bubblers in parks (not always accessible) or the public toilets. Many times I have purchased a large bottle of water only to decant it into our smaller ones,” she said.
Ms Lim, who is Neighbourhood Learning Links Coordinator at Berry Street is also invested in the health of the region as a community member of the Latrobe Health Assembly.
“Sometimes it’s these simple ideas that can have the greatest impact,” she said.
“More times than not, I always have my drink bottle on me but at times when I don’t, I would love to be able to just walk into a shop while down the street and be comfortable asking for a glass of water without any awkwardness.
“I’m hoping this project will help shift the norm for us to choose water as the drink of choice by making it easier to access for everyone in the community and also save the planet by reducing disposable plastics,” Ms Lim said.
Mr Goode, who works for the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority said the project had the potential to connect community members in a new way - through the simple act of giving water.