Dunfermline water tap helps to reduce reliance on plastic bottles

A PUBLIC water tap in Dunfermline has played its part in helping Scotland save the equivalent of five million plastic bottles.

The community- use top- up tap, located on High Street, was installed by Scottish Water in April 2019 as part of a national initiative to encourage people to save water.

Now, the organisation has revealed that the top up taps initiative has inspired a 19 per cent increase in people carrying a refillable bottle.

Scottish Water recently installed their 100th public refill tap, marking a centenary of top up taps since launching in 2018.

Kes Juskowiak, general manager of customer water services for Scottish Water, said: “It’s brilliant that so many locals and visitors alike are using out top up taps in such numbers.

“But nothing would make us happier than seeing even more! There couldn’t be many better reasons for carrying a refillable water bottle and topping up regularly – it’s good for your health, good for your pocket and good for the planet.

“Water is our most precious natural resource and we want the people of Scotland and visitors to have access whenever they need it.”

The top up tap in Dunfermline was unveiled by local band Dancing on Tables, whose song ‘ Oh’ featured on TV adverts as part of Scottish Water’s Your Water, Your Life campaign. They were joined by pupils of Lynburn Primary School, Dunfermline MSP Shirley Anne Sommerville and Fife Provost Jim Leishman.

The Dunfermline tap was the 10th to be installed in Scotland.

The tap is plumbed directly into the local water supply and digital tracking technology keeps count of how much water is being used and how much plastic is potentially saved.