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Bottle Giveaway Marks Installation of Water Refill Points

Hundreds of reusable bottles will be given away to passers-by during two events on 13 and 14 February 2020 to mark the installation of water refill point at the Swan Centre in Leatherhead and St Martin’s Walk in Dorking.  

Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) is delighted that the first water refill points are being installed in the district as part of its local environmental initiative, Refill Mole Valley. Together with over 65 local businesses signed up as Refill Stations, where drinking water is freely available. The two bottle fillers will further boost public access to drinking water and ensure that residents and visitors to Dorking and Leatherhead’s shopping centres can fill up their reusable bottles for free.

Representatives from MVDC and partner organisations SES Water and Surrey Environment Partnership will be in attendance at the events to help raise awareness of the wider need to tackle avoidable plastic waste and to give away reusable bottles. The two events will be held from 12pm in the Swan Centre on Thursday 13 February and St Martins Walk on Friday 14 February.

Councillor Claire Malcomson, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “The installation of the first two water refill points in the district is another big step forward in the fight against plastic waste. As part of us declaring a Climate Emergency last year, we have been delighted with the number of local businesses supporting the cause to increase public availability of drinking water by becoming Refill Stations. Please get involved and help us reach out to more businesses with this important message.”

Mike Goodman, Chairman of the Surrey Environment Partnership, said: “We’re committed to eliminating avoidable single-use plastics (SUP) in Surrey and these water refill stations will play a part in that. By encouraging residents to carry their own refillable water cups, we’ll help reduce the volume of SUP waste and counter the damaging effects of producing and dealing with it.”