Tap water for free- on your travels

[Katiehound]

As far as I can see as long as you have a refillable water bottle (I don't think you have to have a specific model) you can top at various locations for free. This could be quite useful in hot weather!

http://www.tapwater.org/refilling-stations

The idea is that we stop buying bottled water, not only for the financial cost but the cost to the environment in the form of discarded plastic

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[Chocmonster7]

Interesting idea but the nearest place to me is 18 miles away, I'd certainly need a drink after that walk!

[jbrockwell5081]

9 miles away for me; but good idea if you have one near wherever you are going.

[A.Jones]

I bet they will only allow you to do it if you have bought (at high price) their stainless steel water bottle. No doubt they will say it is against health and safety to refill plastic ones.

[simon_says]

It's against the law to charge for drinking water..so unless they refuse to refill your bottle, you can drink as much as you like pretty much anywhere in the UK

[dbrookf]

30 miles for me!

[Anacrusis]

It's 21 miles for me - but I already have metal water bottles and no where I've asked for a re-fill has ever turned me down!

[Anacrusis]

Oh actually sometimes little hot drink stands have said that they don't have cold drinking water - didn't know if it was true or not!

[vixki]

Originally Posted by simon_says

It's against the law to charge for drinking water..so unless they refuse to refill your bottle, you can drink as much as you like pretty much anywhere in the UK

Yeah but a lot of places refuse to give you water unless you buy something else...

I think that it'd be handy if public loos (eg in shopping centres) had a 'drinking water' tap - so you could fill up water bottles etc, most of the places on this tapwater map are out of the way and that's not very useful.

[k3lvc]

Originally Posted by simon_says

It's against the law to charge for drinking water..so unless they refuse to refill your bottle, you can drink as much as you like pretty much anywhere in the UK

Which 'Law' would that be then ?

[welshbookworm]

Selling Alcohol responsibly - The Mandatory Licensing conditions that came into force April 2010 say
3. The responsible person shall ensure that free tap water is provided on request to customers
where it is reasonably available.
from
http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/!!!...ril%202010.pdf
so yes you have to be 'customer' eg spend money first.

[Enterprise 1701C]

Popped into our local HSBC today and they had cold water on tap - it was bliss!! It was one of those machines that you can get a hot drink out of too.

[Magenta]

Originally Posted by simon_says

It's against the law to charge for drinking water..so unless they refuse to refill your bottle, you can drink as much as you like pretty much anywhere in the UK

Afraid not!

[yorkieorchid]

A pub local to me charges 50p service charge for half a pint of tap water.

[jumblejack]

I'd ask for cordial then. Probably cheaper than the service charge?

[MsBubu]

I thnk charging for water is a total joke. That's why I don't buy bottled one. Tap water is sometimes better (regarding minerals) than bottled water. And some bottled water is actually tap water. I don't know here in the UK, but in North America, Coca-Cola is selling Aquafina, which is actual New York City's tap water!

[Reverbe]

how odd is that map? the little villages near me are listed but not the large town I live in??

[lilykim]

I've got two places within short walking distance of my office. Having said that the water at work is fine and I often re-fill a plastic bottle.

[EndlessStruggle]

I was surprised to see I have one in the local town in a nice little bagel shop.

[luxor4t]

Hysterically funny - the nearest was 27 miles away, but only if you can walk on water as I live in Swansea & the pub was in Noth Devon!

Without swimming the Bristol channel, the nearest place is 44 miles away.