initiative
Paris shops fill up water bottles for free
Fresh water is now available free of charge in Paris shops – for anyone who brings a drinking bottle with them. The campaign aims to reduce plastic waste. Photo: Christin Klose/dpa-tmn
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Environmental protection instead of consumption: Anyone who feels thirsty in the French capital will in future have their own drinking bottle filled with fresh water free of charge.
In Paris, the waterworks in the fight against plastic waste have launched a campaign in which shops fill up the drinking bottles of thirsty residents and tourists free of charge. 500 shops are already participating and as many more as possible are being sought, as the city announced.
The shops draw attention to the service with a sticker “Ici je choisis l’eau de Paris” (Here I choose the water of Paris), which does not oblige you to buy or consume anything. The shops can be located on an online map, as can around 1,200 fountains and public water taps in the capital’s streets and parks.
Every second Parisian drinks water outside the house and three quarters of the 33.8 million tourists a year buy plastic bottles with water when visiting Paris, the city justified the campaign. Only every second bottle finds its way to recycling, millions of discarded plastic bottles are the result, so the use of drinking bottles should be encouraged.
The waterworks recently presented a concept for the fight against plastic bottles. Among other things, it states that, according to analyzes, Parisian tap water is of the same quality as bottled mineral water, but costs 200 to 300 times less and has a 1000 times smaller carbon footprint. To ensure that as many people as possible switch from mineral water from plastic bottles to tap water, the Paris concept includes concrete steps for employees in offices, for cultural and sporting events, hotels and restaurants as well as hospitals and schools.