Ireland has a big problem with single-use plastic water bottles. People throw away about 220,000 plastic water bottles daily, costing over €100 million a year. Ireland’s drinking fountains scheme aims to install public water fountains across the country to tackle this issue.
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Early Success of Ireland’s Drinking Fountains in Dublin
The first two of Dublin’s fountains, in Clarendon Row and Temple Bar Square, were a big success. In just over a year, they saved almost 25,000 plastic bottles from ending up in landfills. This success pushed a nationwide effort, with the Irish government providing €2 million in funding to install new fountains across the country.
Phases in Ireland’s Drinking Fountains Scheme
The rollout was planned in two stages.
Phase 1 – Public Buildings: The first phase focused on installing fountains in places like libraries and government buildings that already have running water, giving the public easy access to clean water at existing civic locations.
Phase 2 – Public Outdoor Spaces: The second phase extended the scheme to parks, beaches, and other outdoor areas where people spend a lot of time, making it easier to stay hydrated without relying on single-use plastic bottles.
Both phases are now underway, with fountains continuing to be rolled out across councils nationwide as part of the scheme’s multi-year delivery through Uisce Éireann, Local Authorities, and the National Federation of Group Water Schemes.
Benefits of Ireland’s Drinking Fountains Scheme
These fountains are good for the environment and for people too.
Less Plastic: The fountains offer free, refillable water, helping to reduce the use of plastic bottles. Reduced plastic use means cleaner streets, parks, and rivers.
Save Money: People can ditch expensive bottled water and opt for reusable bottles instead, a welcome saving as the cost of living remains a concern for many households.
Stay Healthy: Easy access to clean water means people can drink more throughout the day, which is essential for good health. Regular water intake supports cognitive function and overall wellbeing.
Convenience: Fountains provide a quick and easy way to get clean water on the go, with no need to carry heavy bottles or hunt for somewhere to buy them.
Existing Irish Schemes Fighting Plastic Waste
Ireland’s drinking fountains scheme supports other government programmes reducing plastic waste. These include:
Deposit Return Scheme (DRS): The DRS adds a small deposit to plastic bottles and cans, refunded once the container is returned for recycling. Since launching in February 2024, the scheme has delivered striking results: over 2.5 billion drinks containers have now been returned, with more than 1.4 billion collected in 2025 alone. Ireland’s recycling rate for these containers has climbed from 49% to over 90% as a direct result.
Local Authority Prevention Network (LAPN): The LAPN funds local governments and communities to establish free water refill points, working alongside the public drinking fountain scheme to build a wider network of accessible water sources.
Clean Water Access Is Only Half the Picture
The drinking fountain programme, the DRS, and the LAPN all point to the same thing: Ireland is serious about cutting plastic waste and building a more sustainable future. Public fountains reduce plastic pollution while offering real economic and health benefits to the people who use them.
But wider access to drinking water only delivers on its promise if that water is safe. Whether it’s coming from a public fountain, a private well, or a group water scheme, regular testing is what actually confirms water is fit to drink. Visual clarity or a clean-looking tap tells you nothing about what’s dissolved or growing in the water itself.
That’s where Southern Scientific Ireland comes in. As an INAB-accredited testing laboratory (ISO 17025, registration 194T), we test over 10,000 drinking water samples every year for households, businesses, and public bodies across Ireland, checking for bacteria, heavy metals, nitrates, and a wide range of other contaminants.
If you rely on a private well or group scheme, our Standard Drinking Water Test covers the essential parameters every homeowner should know. For farms, hospitality businesses, or larger operations with more complex water needs, our Comprehensive Drinking Water Test offers a deeper level of analysis.
Get in touch today to find out which test is right for you.
