Irish Rail considering adding water refill unit at Tullamore train station

Aug 18, 2023

Irish Rail is considering installing an eco-friendly drinking water refill unit at Tullamore train station, after one that was put in place at the station in Athlone proved effective in reducing the need for plastic bottles.

Ecofill drinking water refill units were installed in seven of Ireland's train stations in recent years.

Irish Rail spokesperson Jane Cregan said the bottle filling unit in Athlone had been popular since its installation in 2020.

"To date, (the Athlone unit) has saved 10,703 plastic bottles, which has avoided 900kg of CO2 in the production of plastic," she said.

"The filling units are triple filtered, including a 'silver filter' which removes all types of contaminants. The filling point also has a UV light for antibacterial protection."

The seven stations which currently offer the water refill stations are: Dublin Connolly, Pearse, Heuston, Dundalk, Athlone, Killarney and Tralee.

When asked if there were plans to add the water refill units to other rail stations in the Midlands region, Ms Cregan said the addition of one at Tullamore train station was currently being considered.

"These units are quite expensive to install and maintain, so we are focusing on locations that have higher footfall," she said.