Tap is an app that allows you to find nearby refill stations, so you never have to buy bottled water again. You just open the app and within seconds you’ll find the closest place to refill your water bottle.

Source: Android description / Image: Pexels

Useful information

Download: Android 4.4 (4.2MB) / iOS 9.0 (23.8MB)

Price: free

Language: English

Runs offline: no

Last update: Android 23/10/2018 (v. 1.0.1) – iOS 29/10/2018 (v. 1.0.1)

Website of the developer: Tap

Description

How many times have you ended up buying a bottle of water because you couldn’t find a fountain to drink from? This app, called Tap, shows you a network of free water refill stations where you can use your reusable water bottle. Its aim is to reduce the use of disposable plastic bottles. The app currently has more than 34,000 geo-referenced points in 30 countries.

Information provided by the app

To use the app, all you need to do is activate the device’s GPS or navigate around the map and position the pointer where you’re interested. As long as you have an internet connection, the application will show you where you can use your refillable water bottle. The points refer both to associated establishments (physically identified by a sticker at the entrance) and drinking fountains, as in the case of the cities of Malaga and Granada.

Also and depending on your preferences, you can filter the results, being able to choose between:

  • Chilled.
  • Filtered.
  • Sparkling (payment item).
  • Flavored (payment item).

You can also choose among:

  • Water ATM, automatic water dispensers common in areas with problems of access to drinking water.
  • Drinking fountain, which includes drinking water sources in public areas.
  • Counter service/bottle refill, which includes staffed establishments.
  • Water container, similar to a dispenser with a small tap to serve water.
  • Water cooler, dispenser that also cools the water.
  • Natural spring, category including, for example, springs in natural areas.

The establishments that offer the service have a small section where they can show their gastronomic offer or other paid drinks.

Image gallery

The screenshots correspond to the Android version of the application.

 

Video

The video is recorded using the Android version of the application (3 min 48 seg).

More information

Tap app helps you find free water nearby & avoid buying a plastic bottle (Bustle, 26/10/2018)

Don’t buy bottled water: This app tells you the closest place you can fill up for free (FastCompany, 23/10/2018)

Rating
4.5

Analysis

Plastic has become a key product in the current economy. Its resistance, lightness or insulating capacity, as well as its affordable price, has made it possible to improve the conservation of food, for example, by isolating them from rodents and insects. However, their uncontrolled and abusive use, especially in disposable objects (fast food containers, bags, cutlery, etc.) is causing a serious environmental problem. 

One of the clearest examples is the plastic bottles. As The Guardian revealed in June 2017, around one million plastic bottles are purchased worldwide every minute. And less than 10 % of these bottles are converted into new bottles. In fact, most of them end up in landfills or in the ocean. 

A simple change in our consumption habits, employing in our day to day alternatives such as stainless steel water bottles, collapsible water bottles that you can carry in a pocket or handbag or refillable glass water bottles can contribute to reducing the volume of waste generated. However, the problem that can arise is to look for a tap or fountain where to fill them.

It is in this situation where you can appreciate the usefulness of an app like Tap, which locates the places where you can use your reusable bottle for free. In addition to the environmental benefit of its use, another positive aspect of Tap is that it increases the traffic of people in associated establishments, which can help to increase sales. It also contributes to improving the image of the businesses that are part of the initiative. As aspects to improve, in addition to detailing whether there is any type of periodic fee for businesses that are involved in the initiative (neither in the app nor on the web includes any reference), it would be advisable to publicize the existence of Tap in areas that support a high tourist pressure, for example, encouraging tourists themselves to act as prescribers and contribute to the expansion of the network. Tap’s future plans, which will include the possibility for users themselves to introduce new points and rank existing sites, will undoubtedly contribute to the expansion of this interesting app.

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Técnico de medio ambiente, community manager y content curator especializada en temas de medioambiente - Environmental technician, community manager and content curator specialised in environmental issues