Top Up On The Go After Scottish Water Tap Opens In Oban

Scotland’s newest Top up Tap was unveiled in Oban today, providing local people and visitors to key Argyll and Hebridean tourist spots with an ideal way of staying hydrated while on-the-go.

The new tap, installed as part of a nationwide roll-out, was launched by Scottish Water as part of its Your Water Your Life campaign to encourage more people to drink tap water on- the-go to stay hydrated, save money and protect the environment by using refillable bottles.

The location, near the clock tower in the town’s Station Square, was chosen because it is a transport hub close to the railway and bus stations and the ferry terminal and so very convenient for thirsty travellers and local residents.

The opening of the tap, at which Scottish Water staff distributed refillable bottles to encourage use of the tap and bottles, follows the recent completion of a £29m investment by the utility in a new water treatment works at Tullich south of Oban which supplies drinking water to more than 10,000 customers in the area.

Speaking at the tap launch, Ross Barclay, Scottish Water’s water operations team leader, said:

We’re delighted to have opened the Top up Tap in Oban, which is one of the first ten locations in the country to receive one as part of our nationwide roll-out.

We encourage everyone who lives in the Oban area, and the many visitors and tourists who travel here, to top up while they’re on-the-go using refillable bottles. It’s a convenient way of staying hydrated, saving money and helping reduce litter and protecting the environment.

Welcoming the installation of the tap, Andrew Spence, of Bid4oban, which promotes business interests in the area, said:

We are delighted that Oban has been chosen by Scottish Water for this new initiative. The new tap is in a central location in a busy thoroughfare and that means it will be very convenient for residents and visitors. Hopefully this will encourage people to use reusable bottles and so minimise the use of single-use plastics and bottles.

Phil Hammerton, of Oban Plastics Reduction Initiative, added:

Oban is visited by hundreds of thousands of travellers every year who want access to clear, fresh drinking water. Scottish Water’s Top up Tap initiative is a huge step forward in providing water for travellers on-the-go and residents.

“What we need now is to change our behaviour. We must encourage everyone in the Oban area, whether resident or visitor, to use refillable bottles wherever possible and Scottish Water’s Top up Tap can only help so it’s a very welcome addition to the landscape and facilities in the town centre.

Top up Taps have been installed in locations such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Ayr, Dumfries, Aberdeen and Inverness and at both ends of the West Highland Way in Milngavie near Glasgow and Fort William.

Members of the Oban High School pipe band and local councillors helped Scottish Water celebrate the tap opening.