Macquarie University Fight Against Plastic “Tap it” campaign has been supported by Civiq with the introduction of eight drinking water stations in key locations around the campus.
‘Tap it’ is an initiative established by Macquarie’s Sustainability Department which aims to increase the awareness of the environmental and economic issues surrounding the purchase of single-use plastic water bottles.
The overall aim is to reduce the amount of plastic found on campus by educating students on how reducing the sale of single-use plastic water bottles can promote sustainability in their learning environment.
The university needed drinking water refilling stations that were robust, vandal-resistant, and built-to-last in outdoor spaces, with filtered water for improved water quality and taste for users.
Property managers contacted Civiq because of their comprehensive range of Aquafil branded drinking fountains and water bottle refilling stations, which were developed especially for educational institutions.
The Civiq team recommended that the Aquafil 2100mm-high FlexiFountain free-standing drinking fountain and bottle refill station would be a suitable addition to the campus’s amenities.
This product is ideal because it features a combination of the drinking fountain and anti-bacterial bottle refill technologies, with stainless steel construction for superior performance in outdoor public spaces. The unit is capable of being configured with an inbuilt water filter which helps remove possible bacteria present in the water supply.
The large exterior panels on the drinking water station allowed space to promote the “Tap it” campaign through unique facts on how reducing plastic waste can support the environment. The bespoke graphics were designed with colours and logos to align with Macquarie University’s brand and campus wayfinding.
Adam Rifai, law student at Macquarie University, commented on the hydrations stations situated around campus.
“The drinking fountains at the university are in convenient locations, and are simple to use which is great when i am between classes or wondering around campus”, he said.
“It is comforting to know that there is always somewhere I can fill-up my water bottle so that I can keep hydrated – which helps me focus when studying”.
The Macquarie University community now has eight fully-operation drinking fountains and water bottle refilling stations, and show positive results in their campus fight against plastic. These can are located outside Macquarie Theatre, the Sports and Aquatic Centre, Campus Hub, and busy teaching areas.
Macquarie Sustainability has pinpointed the locations of the “tap it refills towers” on an interactive map, which can be easily accessed on the university’s website.
Students and staff now have readily available drinking water stations on the premises for use between classes, meetings, and study sessions to ensure that users are kept hydrated during their learning experience.
Macquarie University has set out a five-year plan that will see students and staff gravitate away from single-use plastic bottles and move towards bringing their own and refilling them between classes. Introducing bottle refill stations with educational graphics has already proven an effective strategy for achieving this.
Due to the success of the initial eight Aquafil stations, the university is in discussion with Civiq to expand the amenity to other parts of the campus.