After 12 months of detailed planning, designing and assembling, the world’s largest water station has been launched by Bluewater to help hydrate the 290,000 golf fans expected to attend The 150th Open, golf’s oldest and most international major championship, in St Andrews – the Home of Golf – in Scotland from 10 – 17 July 2022.

Measuring a staggering 16 meters length, and housing 12 in-line water dispensers and two 55 inch high-bright outdoor television screens broadcasting key content, the mega-sized water station has been installed adjacent to the Mastercard Pavilion in the central Spectator Village at The 150^th Open. Created by water and beverage innovator Bluewater, the pioneering mass sustainable hydration solution has the capacity to purify and dispense over 6,000 litres of great tasting water to golf fans every day of the Championship.

“We’re excited to introduce visitors from around the world to a unique Bluewater “Wall of Water^TM” hydration experience that delivers world-class water purification and simultaneously helps end the need for tens of thousands of single-use plastic bottles, said Bengt Rittri, founder and CEO of Bluewater, which he launched in 2013 with the purpose of ending the need for single use plastic bottles.

“From planning to delivery, we’ve utilised our expertise as the world’s leading innovator of clean water dispensing solutions for home, commercial and public use, while incorporating feedback from our event clients to create something truly awe-inspiring.”

The “Wall of Water^TM” is supported by 18 additional individual Bluewater hydration stations sited at strategic locations around the St Andrews venue, where the landmark 150^th Open is being staged by The R&A to a record-breaking attendance.

Bluewater has collaborated with The R&A since 2019, when the launch of ‘The Open Water Initiative’ at The 148^th Open at Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland, positioned the Championship as one of the first major global sporting events to completely eliminate single-use plastic water bottles. Bluewater refillable water bottles, which have become a best-selling merchandise item, have since been available for sale across the Championship each year. At The 150^th Open, players will each be presented with a special commemorative “Player’s Edition” bottle, which are double-walled and insulated, and for a limited time, fans will be offered the unique opportunity to purchase one as a special souvenir.

Helping to drive action on the global sustainability and climate change agenda, since 2021, Mastercard – an Official Patron of The Open, has been the headline sponsor of “The Open Water Initiative”, utilising the project to raise funding support for the Priceless Planet Coalition to help combat climate change by restoring forests in Earth’s most vulnerable geographies.

Bluewater’s high-flow water technologies allow major events to easily provide players, staff, fans, volunteers, and event officials to stay safely hydrated without relying on single-use plastic bottles. The innovation-focused Swedish enterprise offers a broad range of plastic-free premium stainless steel refillable bottles, fully customisable in branding and colour, which clients can sell as collectable merchandise to fans.

“We pride ourselves on offering people attending large scale events and venues the best and most innovative and sustainable hydration solutions to ensure they enjoy a truly extraordinary experience,” said Dave Noble, President of Bluewater’s International Events and Venues Division.