Darwin set to choose tap

The City of Darwin and Power and Water Corporation have teamed up to encourage residents, visitors and tourists to ‘choose tap’ as they enjoy the 592 kilometres of shared paths and 600 hectares of parks, gardens and foreshores dotted throughout the city.

Up to 38 of City of Darwin’s public drinking fountains and water bubblers have been given a facelift to draw attention to the places where drink bottles can be refilled and where people can stop to rehydrate.

The active outdoor lifestyle lived by the Darwin community means easy access to clean drinking water is an essential part of Council’s mobility and walkability efforts.

For Power and Water, the adoption of ‘choose tap’ in public spaces is a way of reminding people that the water coming from the water mains, including public water bubblers, is a great quality option for drinking.

‘Choose Tap’ is a national initiative being adopted by councils with the primary objective of driving down single use plastic water bottles that end up in landfill, littering parks and clogging waterways.

It is being used in the Darwin context to also remind the community that a huge amount of effort, infrastructure and technology goes into managing the reliable supply of clean, safe water from the Darwin River Dam and bore fields to our taps—and that the end result is something we can all feel proud of and trust.

Branding the water in public spaces as being the ‘Territory’s finest on tap’ highlights that our community’s water is a shared community resource that everyone can enjoy. However this valuable commodity it is not infinite and everyone has a role to play in using it wisely by conserving where they can.

***Quotes***

Lord Mayor

This ‘Choose Tap’ initiative is a new element to our ongoing efforts to minimise the flow of unnecessary plastic waste in our parks and landfill and we are delighted to be partnering with Power and Water in this fabulous opportunity.

Council’s public drinking fountains and water bubblers will now be easily identified by the branding, making it easier for people to refill a reusable water bottle.

Darwin’s water is every bit as good as the bottled water you buy and, we are hoping people will make the right decision to ‘choose tap’ whenever they can.

Power and Water Corporation CEO, Djuna Pollard

Great drinking water is something that is commonly taken for granted. Branding what comes out of the public fountains will help people to pause, and hopefully appreciate, the quality of what we are supplying.

Water is an integral element of the Darwin lifestyle enjoyed in a tropical climate and we are proud to be the provider of the Territory’s finest on tap.

Ends

Power and Water CEO Djuna Pollard and Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis

Contact: Media unit
Phone: 0401 117 599