Penticton water bottle refill stations proving popular

PENTICTON – The City of Penticton is embarking on a popular initiative that is helping the environment at the same time.

City parks supervisor Todd Whyte says the new water bottle refill stations have been well received by the public, who aren’t used to the refill centres or public drinking fountains.

Whyte says interest in installing drinking fountains was tempered by concerns over what might get into the basins and other hygiene issues. The bottle refill centres have proved to be a welcome alternative and seen as a good public service.

“In my history with the city, and I’ve been here for a while, we’ve had very few drinking fountains,” he said.

So far, the city has installed three of the $5,000 units, one at the Peach Concession, one at the KVR trailhead at Poplar Grove and a third in the 300 block of Main Street.

The Poplar Grove unit was the first installed in 2015.

“Last week the Rotary Club donated two more bottle fillers and bike repair stands,” Whyte says.

They are earmarked for installation at the Munson Mountain BMX track and at Skaha Park.

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