A NEW water refill point launched in a Somerset town this week.

The tap water station is situated on Middle Street in Yeovil, and was switched on today (March 17) to coincide with National Hydration Week (March 14 until 20).

The service, set up by Wessex Water, is part of a wider scheme to encourage people to drink more tap water and avoid using single-use plastic bottles.

Kirsty Scarlett, Wessex Water’s head of community engagement, said: “Yeovil’s water refill point has been installed in a great location to keep residents and visitors hydrated.

“This is just one of the many water refill points we’re installing across the region as part of our mission to reduce the number of single-use plastic bottles we all use.

“We are pleased to be able to work with so many local communities which share the same aim of promoting refill over landfill.”

Wessex Water is working with councils and businesses across its supply region to install refill units in public spaces.

South Somerset District Council portfolio holder for environment, Cllr Sarah Dyke, said it is 'really important' to encourage a change in behaviour, and 'promote the use of water refill points'.

She added: “On average each person in the UK uses around 150 plastic water bottles every year – that’s more than three a week, many of which are discarded ending up polluting our countryside, rivers and seas.

"Plastic is mostly made using fossil fuel oil, so reducing the use of plastic reduces our fossil fuel use and our carbon footprint.

"If just 1 in 10 of us refilled just once a week, it could save around 340 million plastic bottles a year.

"We’re delighted to be teaming up with Wessex Water to install a water refill point in Yeovil, which will be a convenient way for residents and visitors to make the switch from single use plastic water bottles to reusable ones that can be refilled again and again.”

To download an app of the map of refill locations and to add others, visit refill.org.uk.