Des Moines Metro Waste Says TapIt Water Promotes City Supply
TapIt Water, a water bottle refilling network, has partnered with Metro Waste Authority (MWA) in Des Moines, Iowa, to provide clean drinking water to people who carry their own reuseable bottle.
The city's water was ranked No. 1 for the cleanest drinking water by Forbes magazine.
Created in 2008, TapIt is a network of cafes and eateries that volunteer to provide clean drinking water to those who carry their own reusable bottle.
In the past year, the water bottle refilling network has grown to include nearly 400 partner locations across 10 states and has been seeking partnerships with city governments and departments to expand the network.
"Thirty years ago, who would have thought that you would go into a convenience store and pay over a dollar for a little bottle of water?" said Tom Hadden, Metro Waste Authority's executive director. "TapIt is a great fit for our community. Not only does it save people money, it reduces waste and saves our natural resources. The other benefit is the promotion of Des Moines' award-winning local water supply."
Currently, the network has nine partner cafes in Des Moines willing to refill residents' reusable water bottles for free and is growing each day. Each partner café displays a sticker on the window with the TapIt and Metro Waste Authority logos, so that residents can easily find their locations.
"We're very pleased to be working with Metro Waste Authority," says Kylie Harper, TapIt's founder. "When we mention that fact to local cafe owners, they're more likely to become part of our network. Promoting Des Moines' great tap water is easy because of its high quality. Diverting plastic bottles from Des Moines' waste stream along the way is a win-win."
MWA is an independent government agency comprised of 16 member communities, one county and six planning members. Established in 1969, the authority was designated to manage the landfill for the Polk County area after state law required all Iowa communities to properly dispose of their solid waste in a sanitary landfill. Now, MWA is a leader in environmental stewardship and cost-effective waste management.