Helping more Australians to ditch bottled water and slash plastic waste

In 2019 Choose Tap, in partnership with some of Australia’s leading water providers, has helped a growing number of Aussies to cut back on plastic waste by replacing single-use, plastic water bottles with tap water.

Choose Tap is a national partnership of water corporations and councils, started by Yarra Valley Water which promotes tap water as the best hydration choice for the environment, people’s health and hip pocket.

Around 375 million plastic water bottles end up in landfill and waterways every year, contributing to Australia’s growing landfill problem and harming marine life. Scientists predict there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish in the next 30 years.

Yarra Valley Water Managing Director and Choose Tap Advocate, Pat McCafferty said that Australians can see the environmental value in choosing tap water over bottled water.

“As a society we’re becoming more aware of the problem Australia faces with landfill especially as our population grows. Tap water is an obvious way to cut down plastic waste and it comes at a fraction of the cost of bottled water,” Mr McCafferty said.

In 2019 notable innovations and progress from across the Choose Tap Coalition included:

• Mackay Regional Council was named best tasting tap water in Australia and will now represent Australia at the International Water Tasting Competition held in West Virginia, USA, proving that tap water is worthy of raising a glass to.
   
• Federation University phased out the sale of single-use bottled water across their five campuses. Gippsland Water helped Federation University to become plastic bottle-free by donating Choose Tap drinking fountains to the University’s Gippsland Campus.
   
• A new art installation which doubles as a drinking water fountain commissioned by South Gippsland Water was installed in the main street of Foster. The fountain was created by local artist, David Bell, and celebrates the water infrastructure network in its design.
   
• Goulburn Valley Water signed St Anne’s College in Kialla to their Water Only program meaning the school is one of the first secondary schools in Victoria to become plastic bottle free.
   
• A total of 54 new water fountains have been installed across Victoria.

Pat McCafferty said that the Choose Tap movement would continue to grow in 2020.

“Our research shows that convenience is the main reason why people buy bottled water. In 2020 we’ll be starting some exciting initiatives that will make it easier for people to refill their drink bottles and further cut back on plastic waste,” Mr McCafferty said.

To find out more or to get involved visit choosetap.com.au