SCOTTISH Water is to expand its network of hi-tech Top Up Taps across the country as it encourages more people to use refillable water bottles.

The first Top Up Tap was installed outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh last October with a further nine rolled out across Scotland. It is estimated that use to date is, in total, the equivalent of around 90,000 standard 330ml plastic bottles.

Exact locations are yet to be confirmed, but the plan is to aim to ensure there is a tap in every local authority area.

One is also planned for the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park while discussions will take place with local communities on the sites of the remaining taps.

The Your Water Your Life campaign aims to encourage people to top up from the tap to benefit the planet, their health and their pocket.

Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs at Scottish Water, said: “We’re passionate about our Your Water Your Life campaign and it’s been brilliant to see that the public share this passion based on the high usage of the first 10 Top Up Taps.

“We started this as a pilot project but the response has convinced us of the opportunity to expand the number of taps available so that even more people can enjoy our fantastic and great tasting Scottish drinking water."

The first ten Top Up Taps are located in; Fort William, Oban, Milngavie, Glasgow’s Buchanan Street, Ayr, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dunfermline, Dumfries and outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.