Hydration Station Initiative Hailed as Success
At the April 24 Select Board meeting, Water Superintendent Paul Anderson presented an update on the Town of Brewster’s hydration station initiative. This project dates back to 2020, when the Recycling Commission and Select Board identified the need to make water easily available to Brewster residents after the passage of a then-new Town bylaw prohibiting the sale of single-use plastic water bottles.
The initiative has been led by the Brewster Water Department, with strong support from the Water Commission. To date, 11 stations have already been installed at Town buildings and facilities across town.
Superintendent Anderson explained that the first outdoor hydration station was installed at the Brewster Whitecaps field at Stony Brook Elementary School. There are two at the Brewster Dog Park as well – one for dogs, and one for their owners. The recent installation at the pickleball and tennis courts has been particularly well received by Brewster residents.
The project, Superintendent Anderson explained, has been a collaborative effort that has required interdepartmental coordination: “Thanks to our Facilities Director Tom Thatcher, interior hydration stations have been completed at the Brewster Ladies Library, the Council on Aging, the Fire Department, Town Hall, and the DPW.”
Coming soon in 2023, the next round of hydration stations will be installed at:
- Rail Trail Crossing at Route 137
- Brewster Community Pool
- Eddy Elementary School (3)
- Stony Brook Elementary School (3)
Since its installation, the interior station in Town Hall has saved more than 18,000 plastic water bottles, proving the value of this program. Throughout Brewster, Superintendent Anderson estimated that hundreds of thousands of disposable water bottles have been saved in the past few years due to the installation of these stations.
Select Board member Mary Chaffee thanked Superintendent Anderson for his presentation. “Brewster really was revolutionary in its approach to banning single-use plastic bottles by launching this project,” said Chaffee.
Town Manager Peter Lombardi noted that Article Number 10 on the warrant for the upcoming Town Meeting on May 1 contains a $25,000 funding request to continue purchasing and installing municipal hydration stations. Mr. Lombardi explained that support for this article would allow the Town to “continue the good work of this program”.