Choose Tap

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The Choose Tap message is simple: tap water is the best choice for your health, the environment and your hip pocket. Reusing a personal water bottle and drinking tap water is a convenient alternative to purchasing bottled water.

The benefits of choosing tap:

  • Tap water is significantly cheaper – 649 times cheaper in fact – than the average plastic bottle of water.
  • The average cost per litre is $0.0039, whereas the average bottle of water from supermarkets costs $2.53 per litre.
  • A Healthy Land and Water study in 2014–15 showed water bottles were among the 3 highest occurring items of litter throughout our waterways.
  • Choose Tap plays a valuable role supporting community sport and local festivals. It also services venues in education, parks and gardens, health, business, cafes and restaurants.

Water quality

Our priority is to provide safe, reliable, high-quality drinking water for the community. Our scientists conduct comprehensive water monitoring through regular sampling and testing to achieve this.

The City's water is among the highest quality in Australia and continues to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011. Find out more about water quality and testing on our Water quality page.

Water refill points

Water refill stations continue to be installed in public spaces across the Gold Coast to provide access to free drinking water where people need it most.

Look out at your favourite location for one of our hydration stations and make sure to bring your own water bottle to refill!

Over 30 permanent water refill points with water bubblers and two bottle-filling nozzles have been installed at prominent Gold Coast locations. With so much accessible tap water available for public consumption: Be Smart, Choose Tap.

Installations are located at:

For locations throughout Australia, visit the 'Choose Tap' national Tap Finder page.

Portable 'Choose Tap' hydration stations for events

The City can provide portable hydration stations for free water refills at local events. This is part of our commitment to promoting our high quality drinking water and reducing single use plastic bottles.

The loan of hydration stations is free for eligible events.

Eligibility criteria

Requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis using defined criteria. You must meet all requirements to be eligible to borrow a portable hydration station. Bookings are dependant on the availability of units.

Criteria:

  • a Gold Coast, not-for-profit community event, with at least 500 people expected (no private parties)
  • current public liability insurance of $10 million
  • location must allow for easy access to mains water and water tap connection (units must be situated within five metres of a mains water tap)
  • set-up location must allow for adequate drainage
  • bookings must be made a minimum of two weeks before the event
  • event organisers agree to be responsible for promoting drinking tap water and the location of hydration stations
  • event organisers agree to be responsible for the safe transportation of the units.

Local clean-up events may apply by request.

Make a booking enquiry

Fast facts about bottled water

Despite being blessed with some of the finest drinking water in the world, Australians are consuming more bottled water than ever before, creating mountains of problematic plastic waste.

Did you know?

  • The average Australian uses 130 kilograms of plastic per year.
  • Plastic bottles are among the 10 most common rubbish items picked up on Clean up Australia Day.
  • Less than 20% of plastic gets recycled, with 80 per cent ending up as landfill or litter.
  • Over 90% of the cost of a bottle can be traced back to the bottle, lid or label.

So next time you're thirsty, make the sustainable choice and Choose Tap.

Borrow a temporary hydration station for an event

The City can provide portable hydration stations for free water refills at local events (eligibility criteria apply).

This is part of our commitment to promoting our high quality drinking water and reducing single use plastic bottles.

Make a booking enquiry

Related information

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