Commonwealth Games

Introducing sustainable hydration for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is a prestigious international multi-sport event held every four years, bringing together athletes from across the Commonwealth nations. It celebrates sportsmanship, inclusivity, and cultural diversity. Featuring a wide range of sports, from athletics and swimming to cycling and gymnastics, the event showcases world-class talent while promoting unity among participating countries.

In 2022, the Birmingham Commonwealth Games aimed to be the first carbon-neutral event of its kind. To support this goal, Culligan partnered with Severn Trent to install bottle-filling stations across 15 sports venues. This initiative not only promoted environmental sustainability but also encouraged spectators to stay hydrated responsibly.

Objectives

What they needed:

Convenient hydration solutions for spectators

Sustainable options to help reduce plastic bottle usage at the events

Eye-catching design to grab attention of spectators

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Our Drinking Water Solution

To achieve these objectives, we supplied and installed individual bottle-filling stations, configured in units of four, eight, or twelve, tailored to each venue’s specific needs. These stations were strategically placed in high-traffic areas to maximize visibility and usage.

216 bottle-filling stations placed in 15 sports venues across the event

Bottle counter feature to keep track of how many bottles were saved

Brightly coloured design to catch the attention of spectators

Simple button activation for easy access to refreshing hydration

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Conclusion

The success of the refill stations at the 2022 Commonwealth Games demonstrates how sustainable hydration solutions can make a real difference at large-scale events.

By saving over 430,000 plastic bottles in just one week, this initiative showcased the power of innovation and collaboration in reducing environmental impact. The project not only supported the Games’ carbon-neutral commitment, but also encouraged thousands of spectators to adopt more sustainable habits.