By January 2024, Western will stop selling plastic-bottled water on campus.
As Western joins other universities across Canada in an effort to promote accessibility to water and to become more sustainable, bottled water will no longer be provided at any university functions, sold in vending machines or by any on-campus restaurant or vendors.
Refill. Rehydrate. Repeat.
More than 200 water refill stations have been installed across Western’s campus. (Western Sustainability photo)
Western’s ‘Refill. Rehydrate. Repeat.’ campaign began in all residences in September, encouraging students to opt for reusable water bottles to minimize the impact of plastic waste on the environment.
With plans in place to be bottle-free by the new year, Western Facilities Management has retrofitted many current water fountains to install more than 200 water stations across campus. The stations are equipped with motion sensors to recognize when a water bottle is placed under the spout. Hospitality Services (HS) is phasing out bottled (still) water sold in its seven residence dining halls and HS-operated campus eateries.
“This initiative is important for Western because it not only aligns with our sustainability goals, but also with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically UN SDG #6 – Clean Water and Sanitation,” said Heather Hyde, director, Western Sustainability. “Western is committed to offering free, accessible water on campus through our hydration/bottle fill stations. This project will also reduce the amount of single-use plastic bottles on campus, which will have a positive environmental impact.”
