BLUEWATER ON COURSE TO HELP DELIVER FINAL BLOW TO THROWAWAY PLASTIC BOTTLES AT ST ANDREWS LINKS

St Andrews Links Trust has appointed sustainable water and purification experts Bluewater as its Official Hydration Supplier to provide a next-generation drinking water solution for golfers and visitors to the Home of Golf.

The pioneering agreement will see Bluewater, a global leader in sustainable water purification and beverage solutions, provide purified drinking water across the St Andrews Links estate through its innovative refill stations, supporting a commitment for the removal of single-use plastic bottles from the Trust’s facilities.

The stations utilise the Swedish company’s advanced SuperiorOsmosisTM treatment process, which removes more than 99% of known contaminants from water, to provide locally purified and chilled drinking water at the point of consumption.

The refill stations will initially be installed in both the Old Pavilion next to the first tee of the iconic Old Course and at the Halfway House serving the Old, New and Jubilee Courses with further installations at the Links Clubhouse, Golf Academy and Castle Course Clubhouse.

Each unit will provide free-of-charge refills of chilled and purified water. The units also feature high-bright digital TV screens to communicate key information to visitors concerning wider sustainability initiatives across the world-renowned venue.

To commemorate the agreement, Bluewater has produced a special-edition line of co-branded stainless steel refillable bottles – with free lifetime warranties – which will be launched for sale within St Andrews Links Trust’s official retail program. Golfers and visitors will then be able to collect a unique purpose-driven souvenir to enjoy chilled and purified water, while also taking home a vessel that has been designed and built to last a lifetime.

In addition to the on-course refill stations, the system will be rolled out in the Trust’s restaurant facilities with Bluewater MineralizerTM HoReCa systems installed in the Tom Morris Bar & Grill in the Links Clubhouse. Marking the world-first deployment of the new system, the Bluewater MineralizerTM infuses a concentrate of naturally sourced Swedish minerals – tailored to Bluewater’s own research-backed blend for optimal taste and hydration – into local water purified with SuperiorOsmosisTM. The premium and sustainable table water solution will be available still or sparkling according to guest preference, and will be delivered in iconic co-branded borosilicate glass bottles in 500 ml and 1,000 ml options. The glass bottles are re-washed and re-used on site to further enhance the system’s sustainability credentials while ending the need to transport water from distant locations along with continued cycles of glass recycling and re-ordering.

The agreement sets a new standard for the premium sports, venue, and hospitality industry, underlining St Andrews Links Trust’s commitment to embrace new technologies and methods of operating to become a more sustainable business and to champion sustainable practices.

The formation of the agreement with St Andrews Links Trust builds on Bluewater’s already strong presence in the golf industry, with the Swedish innovator being selected to deliver on-site hydration solutions at The Open and AIG Women’s Open for 2023 – 2025. Bluewater has also delivered solutions for several DP World Tour events, including the 2023 BMW PGA Championship at England’s prestigious Wentworth Club.

St Andrews Links Trust is responsible for managing and maintaining the seven Links courses at St Andrews, including the world-famous Old Course, host of The Open Championship a record 30 times.

St Andrews Links Trust manages a number of additional facilities, including three clubhouses, a golf academy, and five shops. More than 250,000 rounds are played over the seven courses attracting visitors from around the world to follow in the footsteps of the world’s greatest golfers and become a part of golf’s rich history.

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