Celebrate Drinking Water Week by reaching for a glass of the original refreshing beverage. This week, May 5-11 marks more than 35 years that the American Water Works Association has celebrated Drinking Water Week. The week provides a unique opportunity for water professionals and the communities they serve to join together to recognize the vital role water plays in our lives. This year, askHRgreen.org is celebrating by inviting citizens to participate in TapIt, a region-wide network of over 100 water bottle refilling cafés and restaurants that provide free access to drinking water.

“You can fill a reusable drinking bottle more than 1,000 times for the dollar you spend on one bottle of water from the store. Utilizing the TapIt program will save you money, while keeping plastic bottles out of our landfills,” said Julia B. Hillegass, HRPDC Public Information and Community Affairs Administrator. AskHRGreen.org is an environmental education public awareness program administered by the HRPDC. 

Using the TapIt network is simple. Find a participating location near you via the online locator, askHRgreen.org/tapit . Then, take your bottle into the restaurant to fill it up with clean tap water for free. No questions asked!

Restaurant owners or managers who wish to partner with TapIt can do so by visiting TapItWater.com/become-a-partner and completing a short form. There is no cost to join the TapIt network. As a partner, businesses are added to the TapIt website and mobile mapping applications so users can easily locate them.