Northern Beaches Council, located north of Sydney’s CBD, wanted to provide easily accessible drinking water stations for local residents and beach-goers to ensure that are kept hydrated, particularly during the warmer months.
The council believes that hydration stations are an environmentally friendly and economical solution for visitors, who will be able to access water without having to purchase plastic single-use bottled water.
This is a timely initiative that links to the council’s plan to minimise waste at public functions and events hosted in Northern Beaches suburbs.
Sydney Water has partnered with the project, by funding eight of the eleven stations. The drinking water stations will be used as one method of reducing the number of plastic bottles, which the council has highlighted as a major concern relating to the increase of polluted local bushlands and waterways.
Northern Beaches Council reached out to Civiq due to the company’s range of Aquafil branded drinking fountains and water bottle refilling stations, designed for enduring performance in outdoor coastal environments.
The council’s park assets teams elected to go with the Aquafil FlexiFountain 1500mm-high drinking fountain and bottle refill station because of the product’s compact and hard-wearing design, for long-lasting service life in outdoor public spaces.
The water stations feature two anti-bacterial water bottler refill nozzles on either side, with a wheelchair-accessible drinking fountain basin, both of which can be activated with user-friendly, easy-to-push buttons.
Core materials of the product are developed using marine-grade aluminum and electro-polished stainless steel, which helps prevent ‘tea-stain’ blemishes. This is a common problem found in beach and waterfront precincts (where high levels of salt are present).
The water stations’ signage panels feature full-color artwork crafted by local residents, to create a vibrant effect unique to each precinct.
Eleven drinking fountain and water refilling stations are now installed in busy beach locations including Avalon, Freshwater, and Newport, whilst other units are present in sporting fields including Terry Hills Oval, Beacon Oval, and Kitchener Park in Mona Vale.
Northern Beaches Council Asset Management Officer, Clint Nittolo, reflected on the recent public drinking water amenities.
“The drinking water stations look great and are getting plenty of use by community members”
Residents and tourists now have easily accessible drinking water when heading to the beach or playing local sports.
The drinking water stations are sited in convenient locations, carefully chosen by the council based on foot traffic patterns, especially during summer.
Northern Beaches Council continues to plan strategies regarding the reduction of plastic waste in the environment, with legislation changes proposed around consumer use of single-use plastic bottles.
The drinking water stations are an excellent first step forward in encouraging locals to refill their water bottles and stay hydrated during recreational activities and when visiting the beach.
