Seattle just added some much-needed relief for our increasingly hot summer days. Earlier this month, Seattle Public Utilities installed seven new water refill stations across the downtown area, part of an effort “to help our community stay hydrated every day and during emergencies.”
The stations are meant to make it easy for people to refill reusable bottles while walking around downtown, whether they’re commuting, sightseeing, or heading to events (such as the upcoming World Cup matches). Instead of buying another plastic bottle, tourists can grab free cold water on the go.
Those new to Seattle are in for a treat when they top off their water bottle at one of these refill stations. Not only does Seattle’s drinking water taste great (SPU has a taste test panel that meets twice a month to taste and evaluate the city’s drinking water), but it’s also one of the purest water supplies in the nation. You can read more about Seattle’s water quality here.
The rollout also adds a dose of local art to Seattle’s downtown streets. Each station features artwork by local artist Stevie Shao, with bright illustrations inspired by Seattle’s mountain-fed drinking water and protected watersheds. Each water refill unit cost about $5,000.
The timing isn’t random. Seattle is preparing to host six FIFA World Cup matches this summer, with hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to pour into the city. Water refill stations staggered throughout downtown could help during crowded match days, especially if temperatures climb.
Still, SPU says the project wasn’t only about soccer fans. The utility pointed to Seattle’s increasingly hot summers as a major reason for expanding public access to drinking water. The water stations will remain as permanent
“We were motivated by the increasingly frequent and severe heat waves that take place in our region during the summer,” Kahreen Tebeau of Seattle Public Utilities told Axios.
Here are the seven locations where you’ll be able to fill up your water bottle downtown:
- 1000 2nd Ave.
- 501 Olive Way
- 1398 3rd Ave.
- 898 3rd Ave.
- 298 James St.
- 100 Pike St.
- 201 Occidental Ave.
