Top Up Tap in Festival Line-Up

A Scottish Water Top Up Tap made its debut at the recent Riverside Festival in Glasgow, playing a key role in helping to reduce plastic waste.

“Thanks to the Top Up Tap and the refillable water bottles, we didn’t need to buy in any bottled water and achieved a massive 90% reduction in single-use plastic bottles used by staff and artists at this year’s event.”

David Clarke
Festival Director

It was a scorcher of a weekend for the 10th anniversary of the electronic music festival set in the grounds of Glasgow’s iconic Riverside Museum, and the newly installed tap there helped keep backstage workers and artists hydrated during the weekend-long event. 

Georgina Reid, corporate affairs manager in the west said: “It just so happened that our Top Up Tap which was recently installed outside the Riverside Museum fell within the backstage area of the festival. So, it made perfect sense for workers at the event to make the most of it, topping up with great-tasting Scottish water from the tap and staying hydrated while they worked.

“We also donated 200 refillable water bottles for staff to use from the beginning of the build and throughout the event, a gesture which was described as ‘a lifesaver’ given the hot and sunny weather. This was proved by the fact that over 1,700 litres of great-tasting Scottish water was consumed, with our tap saving the equivalent of over 5,200 330ml single-use plastic bottles across the weekend.”

Festival organisers welcomed the move and the positive environmental impact it brought. Festival Director, David Clarke, said: “It’s normal for us to go through about 100 cases of bottled water - that is 2400 x 500ml plastic bottles – across the build and during the festival. Thanks to the Top Up Tap and the refillable water bottles, we didn’t need to buy in any bottled water and achieved a massive 90% reduction in single-use plastic bottles used by staff and artists at this year’s event.

“We have already confirmed the dates for next year’s festival which will take place on the bank holiday weekend 25-26 May 2024, and will continue our efforts to reduce plastic use across the whole site including reminding festival goers to remember to bring their own refillable water bottle.” 

With 93 Scottish Water Top Up Taps now installed at a variety of locations across the country, the taps have helped save the equivalent of 4.5 million 330ml plastic bottles since first appearing on the Scottish scene. 

Three out of four people in Scotland now carry a water bottle when out and about, negating the expense and environmental impact of buying bottled water. 

Just like it is at the neighbouring Glasgow Science Centre, the Top Up Tap is a permanent feature in the grounds of Glasgow’s Riverside Museum and is a welcome addition. 

Stewart Thompson, manager of Riverside Museum, added: “Scottish Water’s Top Up Tap has been a welcome addition at Riverside Museum. With over 1 million people visiting every year it will be well used. We have popular picnic spaces inside and outside the museum, and a range of activities across the year on the event space. Having access to free, fresh, cold, Scottish water will keep visitors hydrated and ready to enjoy all the fun on offer at Riverside.”

Scottish Water’s Your Water Your Life campaign encourages people to carry a refillable water bottle and drink tap water on the go to benefit their health, save money and protect the planet. Find out more about the campaign and where you can find your nearest Top Up Tap via the link below: