A new water fountain in Bucky Doo Square is up and running after being officially opened by the mayor of Bridport.

With help from town crier John Collingwood, Bridport mayor councillor Ian Bark declared the refill tap open and is encouraging residents to ditch the single-use plastic and use reusable bottles.

He said: "The Bucky Doo Square water fountain represents a major contribution towards reducing the amount of damage we are doing to our planet.

"We are fortunate in this country to have clean and safe drinking water supplied to our homes. And yet for some reason people in this country buy water on plastic bottles. Water that has been transported across the country and even across the world from as far away as Fiji.

"If you stop and think about the environmental impact caused by the delivery of bottled water to your local shop, you realise how crazy it is. But the environmental impact does not stop there, once the water has been drunk, the plastic bottles are more often than not simply discarded."

Cllr Bark says that around 90 per cent of plastic bottles are not recycled and end up in landfill and those that don't end up polluting our oceans, killing our environment, injuring and killing marine animals. He reports it also takes around 1.5million barrels of oil every single year to manufacture the bottles.

He added: "The next time you think you'll buy a drink that comes in a plastic bottle, think again. Just maybe, if you stop and think you can do your bit to help reduce the 20,000 bottles that are bought every second around the world.

"The best way you can help to tackle this huge problem is by carrying a refillable water bottle and using this fountain and hopefully soon others like it in other parts of the town.

"If you don't have a refillable bottle, they are readily available from a number of shops in the town and the refillable Bridport bottle and hot drinks mug can be purchased from the Tourist Information Centre. Refill is the way to go.

"If only everyone got into the habit of carrying a refillable water bottle or hot drinks mug, the era of single use plastic water bottles and cups would become history overnight.

"It was with great pride that I filled my own refillable water and drank a toast to the water fountain.

"Long may it flow."

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