Free water bottle fillers installed at library and pool
(Above) Cathaoirleach Ken Glynn with county librarian Mary Stuart.
Free water bottle fillers have been installed by Westmeath County Council at Mullingar library and the town's swimming pool in a bid to reduce the amount of single use plastic waste generated locally.
Cathaoirleach Ken Glynn says that the fillers have been installed to encourage users to bring their own bottle and refill as required.
“I am delighted to see these units, offering a free water refill, placed in key public locations. This is a pragmatic solution to tackling the plastic pollution problem, as users have the opportunity to refill their own reusable bottle. It also gives people the opportunity to take a practical step in tackling climate change as so often we hear about the need to 'take action”'to tackle climate change and it can seem unreachable but this is a simple step that anyone from nought to ninety can take”.
Mary Stuart, County Librarian, welcomed the installation of the water bottle filler units in Mullingar Library and its counterpart in Athlone.
“We are delighted to have these facilities available for our customers. Unfortunately, Covid restrictions have meant that they have not been utilised to their maximum capacity, but we are looking forward to seeing them utilised and enjoyed by our customers when normal activity returns,” she said.
The installation of the water bottle fillers is a waste prevention initiative by the Council’s Environment Department. Ruth Maxwell of the Environment Department stated: “Every day in excess of 220,000 single use plastic bottles are used in Ireland. Under this initiative twelve water bottle fillers are being installed with the remaining installation scheduled for Belvedere House, Park and Gardens in the new year. Each one of these units will play a part in reducing the demand for plastic bottles and some of the units have been installed in schools. Installing the units in schools has a dual effect – it creates an amenity in the school and is also an educational tool to practically demonstrate how our actions can make a difference – one sip at a time!”
Damien Keelan, Manager of the Mullingar Swimming Pool gave a hands-on demonstration to the Cathaoirleach.
“The bottle filler is a very welcome asset to the pool as water is vital in keeping the body hydrated before and after a swim. Swimmers are delighted to have this facility on their entry/exit and the unit is proving to be a great success with all ages”.
The water bottle fillers are a unit that allows the user to insert their reusable bottle into the unit and it fills the bottle automatically, without any need for touch or contact. There is a digital counter on the unit and it records the number of refills per unit. The units have been supplied and installed by Crystal Clear Ltd.