Brits and the Bottle Habit

In an effort to curb the use of plastic bottles, Britain's largest privatized water company, Thames Water is installing its first public water stations at selected spots in London.

London's Observer newspaper reports that in a trial run this month, dispensers called Hydrachills, will offer chilled mains-fed water to commuters. If the scheme proves successful, it will be extended to underground, bus and railway stations across London before the 2012 Olympics.

The initial machines that were developed in alliance with the UK water industry, will be placed at Hammersmith bus station and Tower Bridge Museum; locations that see upward of 400,000 visitors annually. For a fee of 20p (about 30 cents), customers get a half-a-liter fill-up and all proceeds will go to Waste Watch, a charity devoted to changing the way people use natural resources. Customers also have the option of buying a reusable sport-cap bottle from the same dispenser or using their own reusable bottle. 

Of the 13 billion plastic bottles of all types sold in the UK last year, only one third were recycled. Peter Antolik of Thames Water says he hopes the dispensers "will soon be commonplace for carbon-conscious Londoners wanting to stay refreshed as well as cut down on cost and waste."

Australians have, apparently, already bucked the trend of bottled water in favor of mains-fed water coolers. They're in use in almost all parts of Australia. We'll see what busy Londoners have to say, could be an easy idea to swallow.

Photo courtesy mbettik via flickr.