THE founder of an initiative that started in Bude to reduce single-use plastics is pleased to know that South West Water is backing a new campaign to make tap water more freely available.

South West Water is behind a national campaign by water companies to make tap water more freely available, helping to reduce litter from single-use plastic bottles and keeping people healthy and hydrated when out and about.

Marking the recent launch of National ReFILL Day on September 27, South West Water supplied 3,000 stainless steel refillable bottles, free of charge, to Keep Britain Tidy to distribute to community groups in Devon and Cornwall. The ReFILL bottles can be sold by communities to plough the proceeds back into good causes in their areas.

As a co-founder of the ReFILL revolution, South West Water is also talking to councils in the region to explore how the campaign can be expanded further across the South West, following its UK launch in Bude in 2014.

Since the ‘Blue Planet’ TV programme, which significantly raised public awareness about plastic pollution, South West Water has installed a number of new water connection points in public places, including on Polzeath beach in partnership with the Polzeath Marine Conservation Group. It is believed to be the first beach ReFILL point in the UK.

More than 1,100 locations, such as cafes, hotels, restaurants and shops, are now registered with ReFILL in Devon and Cornwall, allowing the public to top up their water bottles for free — more than double the total last year. People can use an app on their phone to find out where the nearest ReFILL point is, or look out for special signs in shop windows.

Participating locations in the region include St Ives, Truro, Newquay, Penzance, St Agnes, Exeter, Plymouth, Kingsbridge, Totnes and Torquay. The sites are part of a growing network of participating premises and businesses across the UK, co-ordinated by trade body Water UK, which aims to offer ReFILL in every major town and city in the UK by 2021. In January, Whitbread PLC signed up and John Lewis and Morrisons have recently confirmed their involvement. Is it estimated that the scheme will cut plastic bottle use by hundreds of millions each year, as well as substantially increasing the availability of high quality drinking water.

Bude resident Deb Rosser, who founded ReFILL, with support from BeachCare, a partnership between South West Water and Keep Britain Tidy, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic to see water companies and big businesses across the country get behind this idea. It’s so simple, but it has been extremely effective in reducing plastic use and encouraging everyone to do their bit for the environment.”

Alan Hyde, head of community relations for South West Water, said: “We’re proud of the pioneering role played by the South West and pleased that ReFILL is taking off across the UK. The campaign helps to protect the environment, provides a good value, sustainable solution to healthy living, and supports communities.”

Cllr Andrea Davis, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for infrastructure and waste, said: “It’s win-win for everyone. It’s good for the businesses and charities that open their doors to thirsty passers-by, good for the environment and good for people’s health to hydrate with water rather than sugary drinks. I encourage businesses to give it a go and it’s easy to opt in.

“We’ve supported ReFill Devon for some time and I’m delighted by how it’s been embraced.  Devon is one of the leaders on this and I support any efforts to extend it to other parts of the country.”

Neil Hembrow from Keep Britain Tidy said: “Single-use plastic bottles are expensive to produce, use up valuable natural resources to make and transport, and create mountains of waste once they’ve been used and discarded.

“It’s estimated that only around half of the 38.5-million plastic bottles used in the UK every day are recycled, with around 16-million ending up in landfill, being burnt, or entering the environment and waterways. The South West is leading the way in tackling this important issue.”