Galway City Council, in collaboration with Galway Tidy Towns, have installed three new water bottle filling stations in the City Centre, to make it easier for the public to fill their water bottles. The new stations are on Churchyard Street, outside Sheridan’s Cheesemongers; Dominick Street, outside the old Canal House; and outside the Eyre Square centre on Eyre Square. The new water stations are in addition to the three existing units at Millennium Children’s Park, Westside Park and Quincentenial Park. The water stations are free to use.
Tiarnan McCusker, Environmental Awareness Officer with Galway City Council commented, “we wanted to make it more convenient for the public to fill up their water bottles, for free, in central locations in the city. To use the water station, simply pop your bottle into it, and you’ll automatically activate the infra-red sensor, and the water will start to fill your bottle. Remove the bottle when it’s full, and the water will stop. We are delighted to partner with Galway City Tidy Towns on this initiative – their members know all too well the problem with plastic bottle litter when they are doing their clean ups. By making water filling stations available in parks, sports facilities and now the city centre, the public can refill and reuse their water bottles in six locations in the city – this will help to keep the city cleaner and reduce plastic waste in our bins.’’
Cllr. Eddie Hoare, Mayor of Galway City said, “despite the plastic bag levy, Ireland is one of largest producers of plastic waste in the European Union. We now generate around 3 billion plastic bottles a year. A key way to combat this waste is at source, and the new water bottle filling stations around the City are very welcome. Well done to the Environment Department for installing them, and to Galway Tidy Towns for supporting this initiative.”
The water filling stations feature imagery which is uniquely ‘Galway’. Renowned Street Artist, Johnny Massacre, who sadly passed away in July 2003, is remembered on the water station in Dominick Street. The Market Street station shows the Galway market in full swing, with the best of crafts and food and on display. The Eyre Square station shows the Trans Express drummers at the Galway International Arts Festival in 2017 entertaining the crowds beneath them.
The three new water filling stations are funded by the Anti-Litter Anti-Graffiti grant and the Waste Prevention Fund.
Source: Galway City Council
