Thirsty Shire residents turning on Top Up Taps

The busiest and most-used taps across Scotland over the summer have been identified in the latest data revealed by Scottish Water.

The research paints a fascinating picture of exactly where thirsty drinkers have been using the national water provider’s network of Top up Taps from May to August.

Impressively, the Top Up Taps initiative has inspired a 19 per cent increase in people carrying a refillable bottle, and figures show that well-hydrated people across The City of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire filled up almost 35,000 water bottles and consumed 44,811 litres of water across the area’s nine taps.

Featuring in the chart at number 24 was Stonehaven’s Top up Tap which dispensed almost 13,000 litres – double any of the others in Aberdeenshire.

Cruden Bay Top Up Tap served up 5678 litres this summer. (Pic: Michael Traill)

Following Stonehaven, the other most used taps in the region were in Mintlaw which served up 6,756 litres, Fraserburgh 6,372 litres, Cruden Bay with 5678 litres, Braemar with 5171 and Banchory with 3862.

Aboyne was the least used tap in Aberdeenshire with 1,977 litres dispensed.

Meanwhile Aberdeen City’s two taps in Hazelhead Park and St Nicholas Street both clocked in with a total tap usage of 1,020 litres each.

Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs at Scottish Water, said: “It’s brilliant that so many locals and visitors alike are using our Top Up Taps in such numbers.

“But nothing would make us happier than seeing them used even more!

"There couldn’t be many better reasons for carrying a refillable water bottle and topping up when you’re out and about – it’s good for your health, good for your pocket and good for the planet.”

Since launching the initiative in 2018, the 100 taps collectively have topped up the equivalent of nearly 6 million single use plastic bottles.

The aim was to put the distinctive blue Top Up Taps in key locations all over the country.

It couldn’t be easier to see where your communities tap is - just visit www.YourWaterYourLife.co.uk/TapMap and search by putting in any postcode or viewing a complete list of the Top Up Taps across Scotland.

Brian added: “Water is our most precious natural resource, and we want the people of Scotland and visitors to have access whenever they need it.”