Wandsworth and Merton could receive four additional free water refill points in the next few months via an ongoing City Hall scheme following Plastic Free July.
This news follows City Hall revealing that the average adult Londoner buys more than three plastic water bottles per week.
Wandsworth and Merton London Assembly Member, Leonie Cooper AM, received confirmation of the plans from Sadiq Khan in response to her recent written Mayoral question, after plans for new installations were put on hold due to the lockdown.
Local London Assembly Member, Leonie Cooper AM, said: “With the pandemic, we have been in danger of losing the progress we have made on clamping down on plastic waste.
“A deluge of plastic bottles ends up in our rivers and waterways, causing pollution and impacting the wildlife population.”
The Mayor launched the Drinking Fountains for London scheme in 2018 to encourage Londoners opt for reusable water bottles in hope of clamping down on single-use plastics.
Cooper added: “The free refill points are not just a great way of reducing our unhealthy reliance on single-use plastics, but can also offer a vital, clean water source for homeless Londoners”.
So far under the scheme, fountains in Merton and Wandsworth are currently located in Mitcham Town Centre, Wimbledon Station and Garratt Park.
City Hall has teamed up with Thames Water and the Zoological Society of London to already install 82 drinking fountains across 21 boroughs in the capital.
Back in 2018, a water fountain on Tooting Common was restored using a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Cooper said: “It’s very positive to now see a renewed focus on tackling this as part of the Mayor’s plans for London’s economic recovery.”
Plans confirmed by the Mayor for installing the eight additional refill points could begin from the autumn.
