Free Potable Water in Irish Airports?

airportwater

I was recently in Dublin Airport and feeling really dehydrated. I looked around a bit for a drinking fountain but couldn't find anything like that. I ended up buying a 500ml bottle of water for about €2.50. I know in some parts of the airport there are shops that sell a generic brand of water for about €1.00 but I wasn't close to any of these.

I know €1.00 -> €2.50 probably isn't going to to break the bank of anybody, but I still can't help thinking that the situation is a bit unfair. You can't bring your own water through security and there doesn't seem to provide any potable water sources around the water. Your only choice is to buy it with a huge markup or put up with the dehydration, but this can be difficult when the flight is long. In a sense they hold you to ransom.

Last year I was in San Francisco airport and saw that they have drinking fountains scattered around the airport which was really nice. I would love to push for something like this in Irish airports but I'm not sure where to start. Would it be best to write a letter to the Irish Aviation Authority or the Dublin Airport Authority? What about a government department? Would this fall under the Department of Health or the Department of Transport?

I know it's just a small issue in the grand scheme of things, but I think it would be a beneficial and just thing to have for all the travelers. If there are reasons not to pursue this I'll definitely listen to them with an open mind. Any advice on how to get started would be appreciated. I know I am quite naive with these things, but I think that I have the best of intentions. :-)

Tabnabs

They have it in Oslo airport also and is heavily used by the natives. It would be great to see it in Dublin, if not already there.

HeidiHeidi

I had quite a little rant about this the other day in a Spanish airport, where the cheapest water I could find was €3.60 for 75cl :eek:

It's a complete hostage/ransom job, and it drives me NUTS.

OP, if you have a petition I'll sign it! Before it gets to the stage where they charge a tenner for a glass of water just because they can.

cormie

It's pretty ridiculous, I did manage to haggle the price down before on a bottle though.

beer enigma

To be honest, there are so many people going through airports, I think I'd rather pay the money and buy a sealed bottle.

Dublin Airport has water 'piled high' in various places on an honesty system for €1 so you dont even have to go into a shop.

0lddog

airportwater wrote: »

I was recently in Dublin Airport and feeling really dehydrated. I looked around a bit for a drinking fountain but couldn't find anything like that......

.

The last time that I was in Dublin Airport there were drinking fountains.

Have they been removed ?

Tenger

0lddog wrote: »

.The last time that I was in Dublin Airport there were drinking fountains.

Have they been removed ?

Definitely saw 2 at the bottom of the escalators in T2 last week. Saw people using them.

KeithTS

There are water fountains all over the place in Dublin airport. Next to most toilets as far as I can remember.

airportwater

KeithTS wrote: »

There are water fountains all over the place in Dublin airport. Next to most toilets as far as I can remember.

Really? Beyond security? I feel like a right fool if that's true. :-( I was in T2 and in port ~420 something, I couldn't for the life of me find one in my area. I checked inside the bathroom and outside it then walked around a bit.

Next time I'll keep a sharper eye out! :-)

Stillnotworking

There are at least 4 or 5 fountains around the place.

http://www.dublinairport.com/gns/at-the-airport/terminal1/facilities-services.aspx and in T2 at the entrance of the 400 Gates

From DAA website
Are there drinking water fountains at Dublin Airport?
Drinking water fountains are available in Terminal 1 on the Departures and Arrivals level, in the baggage reclaim area and at Gates 100, 200 and 300. Fountains are available in Terminal 2 in the following areas,: check-in, baggage reclaim, shopping/restaurants and at the entrance to Gates 400.

Peregrine

As Andip said, I believe these are still in the Loop. Just pop a euro in the box and take one

Strumms

Nimr wrote: »

As Andip said, I believe these are still in the Loop. Just pop a euro in the box and take one

They are indeed... just passed the stand 10 minutes ago.

Apart from one incident everyone i see has been paying..

the one incident saw me let a roar at some ****ing arsehole who was filling his carry on with 10 plus bottles before i passed him.. cant stand that ****...

there are water fountains.. im looking at one opposite gate 110 now ..all located at entrances and exits to the toilets

Stinicker

I snapped this recently while transiting through Kuala Lumpur.

cruais

I remember seeing them everywhere by the gates in t2

fits

I was trying to find a water fountain two weeks ago in Dublin also. Its common to carry an empty bottle through security and fill up inside here in Finland, but i couldn't find a water fountain in Dublin. V annoying. They're not near the jacks in terminal 1at least, and that's where I would expect to find them.

L1011

fits wrote: »

I was trying to find a water fountain two weeks ago in Dublin also. Its common to carry an empty bottle through security and fill up inside here in Finland, but i couldn't find a water fountain in Dublin. V annoying. They're not near the jacks in terminal 1at least, and that's where I would expect to find them.

They are in pier D (100 gates) unless I've lost my memory entirely . Not sure where in A and B.

fits

MYOB wrote: »

They are in pier D (100 gates) unless I've lost my memory entirely . Not sure where in A and B.

Darn I couldn't find them! Think I was in pier d as well (Norwegian).

Cessna_Pilot

fits wrote: »

Darn I couldn't find them! Think I was in pier d as well (Norwegian).

They're right outside the jacks.

fits

Well there you are, I was sure they were there and then I couldn't find them. Didn't have loads of time to spare so didn't look very thoroughly...

jamo2oo9

I know there is a water fountain beside the toilets in T2 on the ground floor on the landside. Haven't flown out of Dublin in a while but I could've sworn I saw a water fountain in one of the men's toilets in Pier D? Maybe confused?

HeidiHeidi

Are you allowed carry an empty bottle through security though?

I thought it was the size of the bottle, not its contents, that mattered (as daft and all as that sounds!).

Water fountain of limited use if you can only drink from it, as opposed to fill a bottle......

arubex

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Are you allowed carry an empty bottle through security though?

Always have been - I've been carrying a 1-litre aluminium bottle through security since 2001.

Just keep the cap off so that security can quickly assess that it is empty. Give it a good shake-out over a sink prior to security so that there's no slosh in the bottom.

Same in UK and USA airports.

BuffyBot

You can bring any size empty bottle through security. Empty is the key word.

HeidiHeidi

arubex wrote: »

Always have been - I've been carrying a 1-litre aluminium bottle through security since 2001.

Just keep the cap off so that security can quickly assess that it is empty. Give it a good shake-out over a sink prior to security so that there's no slosh in the bottom.

Same in UK and USA airports.

BuffyBot wrote: »

You can bring any size empty bottle through security. Empty is the key word.

Well, you learn something new every day as they say, and that's my new one for today!

eatmyshorts

I'd sooner pay the 3 Euro for a bottle than fill up from some manky fountain that people have been slobbering over.

HeidiHeidi

eatmyshorts wrote: »

I'd sooner pay the 3 Euro for a bottle than fill up from some manky fountain that people have been slobbering over.

Well since no-one (including me ) seems to know they're even there, the slobbering would be kept to a minimum. Just don't let the bottle touch the fountain.

I'd sooner take my chances with a few germs than give the greedy feckers the 3 quid they charge just because they can.

Tenger

eatmyshorts wrote: »

I'd sooner pay the 3 Euro for a bottle than fill up from some manky fountain that people have been slobbering over.

You do know that you put your mouth to the vertical stream of water rather than over the spout?

And these fountains have a metal cover (like a bus shelter) over the spout so good luck to anyone being able to 'slobber' over the spout.!!

eatmyshorts

Tenger wrote: »

You do know that you put your mouth to the vertical stream of water rather than over the spout?

I know that, but never underestimate some people's stupidity.

Tenger wrote: »

And these fountains have a metal cover (like a bus shelter) over the spout so good luck to anyone being able to 'slobber' over the spout.!!

Some of the people wandering around are liable to do anything.

I still stand by my assumption.

fits

Paying for bottled water in Ireland is a complete and utter scam. Plus all the needless transport and packaging when a perfectly good distribution network is already in place.

Growler!!!

fits wrote: »

Paying for bottled water in Ireland is a complete and utter scam. Plus all the needless transport and packaging when a perfectly good distribution network is already in place.

It's so good we have to have water meters installed. Or did you not notice the Irish Water letter popping through the door:D

fits

Growler!!! wrote: »

It's so good we have to have water meters installed. Or did you not notice the Irish Water letter popping through the door:D

yeah well, no point in paying for it several times over. Most bottled water sold comes from the tap anyway unless marked otherwise.