Bluewater, a renowned leader in sustainable water and beverage solutions, has signed a new three-year contract with The R&A, golf’s governing body, to supply event hydration solutions and stainless steel refillable water bottles for The Open and AIG Women’s Open. The agreement, valid from 2023 to 2025, solidifies Bluewater‘s commitment to providing innovative and environmentally friendly water stations at both prestigious championships.
“We are thrilled to once again collaborate with The R&A to offer sustainable hydration solutions at two of the world’s most prestigious and forward-thinking sporting events,” said Bluewater CEO Bengt Rittri. “Our water stations and planet-friendly bottles eliminate the need for single-use containers, and we take immense pride in providing this service to The R&A, as well as all the players, fans, staff, and volunteers attending the championships.”
The water stations installed by Bluewater will be accessible to all golfers, on-site personnel, and the tens of thousands of fans at The Open and AIG Women’s Open, ensuring a convenient and eco-conscious way to stay hydrated throughout the events. Additionally, Bluewater will produce a range of bespoke stainless steel refillable water bottles for players, caddies, and VIP Hospitality Guests, while also offering them for retail merchandise sale as unique event souvenirs with a strong environmental message. Bluewater’s premium ‘Player’s Edition’ bottles feature a double-walled insulated construction, keeping drinking water cold and refreshing throughout the day.
The Open Water Project, launched by The R&A and Bluewater at The 148th Open at Royal Portrush in 2019, made The Open one of the first major sporting events to completely eliminate single-use plastic water bottles. This unique initiative, proudly supported by Mastercard, an Official Patron of The Open since 2021, has been using the platform to raise awareness and funding for global reforestation efforts through the Priceless Planet Coalition. Sustainability and innovation continue to drive the success of this initiative.
Mr. Rittri, one of Sweden’s leading environmental entrepreneurs, praised The R&A for their foresight and creativity in implementing such a bold and future-proofed solution at these prestigious international events. He emphasised that the partnership between Bluewater and The R&A exemplifies championing change and environmental responsibility, ensuring athletes have access to healthy drinking water free of toxic chemicals and microplastics throughout each championship event.
Bluewater’s ecosystem of hydration solutions for global events and venues includes their indoor dispenser, which combines point-of-consumption water purification technology with high-visibility communications and functionality. These dispensers use multi-stage water purification, including Bluewater’s patented SuperiorOsmosis™ Reverse Osmosis process, which removes up to 99.7% of impurities from water. This process ensures locally created, chilled, and delicious drinking water, eliminating the need for high-carbon manufacture and shipment of pre-filled single-use containers. Bluewater’s range of refillable vessels, made from non-leaching materials like stainless steel and borosilicate glass, complements the dispensers and is fully customisable to suit various needs.
With this new contract, Bluewater and The R&A continue to lead by example, promoting sustainability across the sports industry and championing positive change, one water refill and reusable bottle at a time.
