Scottish Water’s Top Up Tap in Kirkwall served up 272 litres over this summer and Lerwick’s  dispensed almost 3,000 litres.

The Top Up Taps initiative has inspired a 19% increase in people carrying a refillable bottle, and figures show that well-hydrated people across Shetland and Orkney filled up almost 2,200 water bottles and consumed 2,776 litres of water across the area’s two taps.

Edinburgh’s Grassmarket tap dispensed over 32,000 litres during the peak tourist season and was the most used.

Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs at Scottish Water, said:

“It’s brilliant that so many locals and visitors alike are using our Top Up Taps in such numbers.

“But nothing would make us happier than seeing them used even more! There couldn’t be many better reasons for carrying a refillable water bottle and topping up when you’re out and about – it’s good for your health, good for your pocket and good for the planet.”

Publicly funded Scottish Water recently installed its landmark 100^th Top Up Tap in the shadow of the Kelpies in Falkirk. Since launching the initiative in 2018, the 100 taps collectively have topped up the equivalent of nearly 6 million single use plastic bottles.

The aim was to put the distinctive blue Top Up Taps in key locations all over the country – and they now stretch from Arran to Arbroath and from Shetland to Stranraer.

It couldn’t be easier to see where your communities tap is – just visit www.YourWaterYourLife.co.uk/TapMap and search by putting in any postcode or viewing a complete list of the Top Up Taps across Scotland.

Brian Lironi, added:

“Water is our most precious natural resource, and we want the people of Scotland and visitors to have access whenever they need it.”