‘It shouldn't be a big deal' – doctor pleads for public drinking water fountains after trial shows drastic cut in consumption of soft drinks
They say the health and environmental benefits of swapping soft drinks and single use containers for plain water and reusable bottles are overwhelming.
'One hundred years ago we had water pumps in every town
However, they also say the process needs to be simplified after it took the involvement of almost a dozen public bodies and groups to be implemented.
'This shouldn't be a big deal,' said Dr Grace O'Malley of the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, one of the bodies involved.
'One hundred years ago we had water pumps in every town in Ireland and it was the norm.
'Every single town in Ireland and every sports club should have access to high-quality free drinking water.'
The Uisce Cliste (Smart Water) Healthy Hydration for Dublin project was trialled at Cherry Orchard and Ballyfermot United Football Clubs, with data collected and analysed from the former.
A water station was installed by the pitches with two water fountains where children could fill their club-branded water bottles.
Education sessions were also run for children, parents and coaches on the importance of staying hydrated and, crucially, drinking water instead of soft drinks.
Colour charts were installed in toilet blocks so that participants could check their urine to understand what a healthy shade is.
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'We're being conditioned all the time with advertising and marketing to think we need different products whereas we really need to get back to basics, to understand how our body works and how important water is for us, particularly for children when their kidneys are developing,' Dr O'Malley said.
Your bottle is as important as your boots
The project is primarily a public health measure but has also proved a winner on the environmental front.
The club was collecting 4.5kg of drinks bottles and cans daily, but six months later, it plummeted to 0.05kg.
Republic of Ireland player, Jessie Stapleton, who began her football career with Cherry Orchard, is backing the campaign with messages on YouTube.
'She makes the point that 'your bottle is as important as your boots'. To get that message out there from someone like her is great,' Dr O'Malley said.
The project combined work by Dr O'Malley's team, Dublin City Council, the HSE, Pobal, Sláintecare's Healthy Communities programme, the Liffey Area Partnership, the City of Dublin Adult Education Service and others.
Dr O'Malley said while it was great to have the interest and input of so many, the process needed to be simplified.
Last summer, the Departments of Housing and the Environment announced a €2m fund to support the installation of public drinking water fountains.
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