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Icon Water keeping Canberra's canine residents hydrated

Icon Water has extended its drinking water initiative to Canberra’s canine residents, encouraging the city’s four-legged friends to stay hydrated while out and about. 

Through the utility’s Refill Canberra program, run in partnership with ACT Health, cafes across the city opt in to fill up people’s reusable water bottles for free. Participating businesses display a sticker in their window so passersby know they can stop in.

Icon Water also provides glass carafes to restaurants and cafes to encourage customers to drink tap water.

Now, good boys everywhere can stay hydrated, too, thanks to the Woof Water initiative.

Launching the program last week, Icon Water Managing Director Ray Hezkial said the utility is proving free dog water bowls to cafes that want them.

“Woof Water is part of our carafe program, which aims to encourage all Canberrans, including our four-legged friends, to stay hydrated,” he said.

The bowls are made from eco-friendly bamboo, which Hezkial said makes them low-cost and sustainable. 

“We’re really passionate about sustainability and reducing single-use plastics,” he said.

“Canberra has some of the best tasting tap water in the country, so there’s no need for the community to buy bottled water for themselves or their pets.”

https://www.facebook.com/iconwatercbr/videos/2801164129943233/

The initiative will be welcome news for the 36% of Canberra households who have a dog, and Two Before Ten cafe Branch Manager Phillip McKay said it also makes sense for businesses.

“We have a lot of customers come through who are walking their dogs in the morning … so having Woof Water is quite cool,” he said.

“People can come by and get their dogs a drink of water and hopefully get a coffee while they’re at it.”

Dog-friendly cafes and restaurants can apply for Woof Water bowls and carafes for their human companions here.