Lithuania’s largest water supply company Vilniaus Vandenys is launching a social initiative inviting hospitality industry, businesses, and not-for-profit organisations to rethink water drinking habits and give more trust in tap water. Vilnius City initiative ‘Drink clean water in Vilnius’ is to remind or bring greater awareness of the exceptional quality of the groundwater in the country, thereby reducing plastic pollution.
Not only is Vilnius among the greenest capitals in Europe, its tap water turns out to be perfectly drinkable and among the cleanest in Europe too. This is because 100% of it is taken from abundant underground sources sheltered from human interference.
The initiative ‘Drink clean water in Vilnius’ was officially launched on 20 July by signing a special memorandum between Remigijus Šimašius, Mayor of Vilnius, Marius Švaikauskas, Director General of Vilniaus Vandenys, Vilnius City Tourism and Business Promotion Agency GO Vilnius, Lithuanian Association of Hotels and Restaurants and representatives of the associations of responsible business and other businesses.
Those part of the initiative will mark their premises with a special label ‘I drink clean water in Vilnius’. The initiative will also involve drawing up a public map of socially responsible and environmentally friendly businesses.
As the initiative progresses, Vilniaus Vandenys intend to invite office managers or administrators, gyms and health clubs, apartment home associations and other businesses to join in, which is expected to promote rethinking of water drinking habits, and choosing a glass of tapped quality water over bottled alternative. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to involve as many socially responsible businesses as possible, and to make water publicly available anywhere in Vilnius, be it a cafe, hotel, street or square, gym, office building etc.
For the duration of the initiative ‘Drink clean water in Vilnius’ (at least three months), the company is ready to compensate the restaurants and hotels that are part of the initiative for 12 thousand glasses of water. The projections are that about 240 thousand glasses of water will be consumed in total.
Current participants include the Hilton hotel, the restaurant chain manager Burokėlis ir krapas, cafe chain Vero cafe, and City Service Engineering company.