Provide Hydration Where It's Needed

Americans purchase about 50 billion plastic water bottles every year, averaging about 13 bottles per month for each person in the U.S. There's no doubt that hydration is important, but if you want to reduce waste and hit your organization's sustainability goals, encouraging hydration without the plastic waste is a smart step.

Hydration Solutions

Many parks and recreation departments, schools and colleges, camps and other facilities are looking for ways to improve their sustainability. At the same time, they host events where hydration is a must—from street festivals and running races to day camps, sports tournaments and more.

You can encourage people to bring their own reusable bottles by providing access to water with a portable, self-serving bulk water dispenser. At 125 gallons, one tank can provide the same amount of water as 1,000 throwaway bottles. Multiple spigots make it easy for guests to fill up and get hydrated.

The water tank is easy to set up, fill, maintain and store. It can be set up by just one person, and filled up easily with a common water faucet and food-grade hose. Maintenance is also easy—it can be cleaned with a spray bottle with water and a capful of bleach. And when you're ready to put it away, all you need is a 4-by-4-foot footprint.

Eco-friendliness is an important goal, and your events give you a chance to show participants that you're a part of the solution. By providing hydration stations, you demonstrate your sustainability and keep plastic out of landfills. Be sure to encourage participants to bring their own water bottle.

Other Considerations

When it gets hot out, you want to encourage participants in your program to hydrate easily, but you also want your hydration solution to be safe. Look for hands-free operation, with foot activation, for example, and solutions that allow multiple guests to fill up at once without creating congestion.

Accessories can be added to your hydration station as well. "Water" flags will help people know where to go, for example. Or you can add a cup dispenser, so folks who forgot their refillable water bottle can still hydrate.

You can even sell sponsorships and place advertising on your water tank, allowing you to provide hydration and boost your revenues at the same time.