By Hugh Boag
The Arran public tap is among the best used in Scotland, according to data revealed by Scottish Water.
The research paints a fascinating picture of exactly where thirsty drinkers have been using the national water provider’s network of Top up Taps from May to August this year.
The Arran tap on Brodick promenade was the 13th busiest in Scotland, beating two in Glasgow in Buchanan Street and the Riverside Museum and the dispenser at the Ben Lomond car park at Rowardenan in the top 20.
Dispensing 18,085 litres of water in four months, it was second in North Ayrshire to the dispenser in Irvine, which dispensed 21,018 litres and beat Cumbrae, 16,160, and Largs, 4,600 litres.
Retaining the top spot in Scotland this summer was Edinburgh’s Grassmarket tap which dispensed more than 32,135 litres during the peak tourist season.
Top Up Taps have inspired a 19 per cent increase in people carrying a refillable bottle and figures show that people across North Ayrshire filled up almost 46,000 water bottles and consumed 59,863 litres of water across the area’s four taps.
Brian Lironi, director of corporate affairs at Scottish Water, said: “It’s brilliant so many locals and visitors are using our Top Up Taps.
“But nothing would make us happier than seeing them used even more. There couldn’t be many better reasons for carrying a refillable water bottle and topping up when you are out and about. It’s good for your health, good for your pocket and good for the planet.
“Water is our most precious natural resource and we want the people of Scotland and visitors to have access whenever they need it,” Brian added.
Publicly funded Scottish Water recently installed its landmark 100th Top Up Tap in the shadow of the Kelpies in Falkirk. Since launching the initiative in 2018, the 100 taps collectively have topped up the equivalent of nearly 6 million single use plastic bottles.
The aim was to put the distinctive blue Top Up Taps in key locations all over the country and they now stretch from Arran to Arbroath and from Shetland to Stranraer.
To see where your nearest tap is visit www.YourWaterYourLife.co.uk/TapMap and search by putting in any postcode or viewing a complete list of the Top Up Taps across Scotland.
The Arran water tap on Brodick promenade. 01_B40water01_23_arran_water
The water tap is easy to use. 01_B40water02_23_tap_top