Bluewater secures new 3-year contract from The R&A

Stockholm, Sweden, July 24, 2023 – Bluewater, an industry leader in sustainable water and beverage solutions, and The R&A, golf’s governing body, have signed a new 3-year contract for the supply of event hydration solutions and stainless steel refillable bottles at The Open and AIG Women's Open. Under the agreement, Bluewater will take responsibility for installing, operating, and managing its innovative on-site water stations at both championships from 2023 to 2025 inclusive.

"We are thrilled to be once again working with The R&A to provide sustainable hydration solutions at two of the sporting world’s most premium and forward-thinking major events," said Bluewater CEO Bengt Rittri. "Our water stations and planet-friendly bottles are a great way to end the need for single-use containers at all manner of global events, and we're very proud to be able to offer this service to The R&A, along with all the players, fans, staff and volunteers on-site at the two championships.”

The water stations installed by Bluewater will be available for all golfers, on-site personnel, and the tens of thousands of fans at The Open and AIG Women’s Open, offering a convenient and environmentally friendly way to stay hydrated throughout the day. In addition, Bluewater will manufacture a range of bespoke stainless steel refillable water bottles that will be provided for players, caddies, and VIP Hospitality Guests, while also being offered for retail merchandise sale as a unique event souvenir 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’, which saw The Open become one of the first major sporting events in the world to eliminate single-use plastic water bottles completely, was designed and launched by The R&A and Bluewater at The 148th Open at Royal Portrush in 2019. The unique initiative has been proudly supported by Mastercard, an Official Patron of The Open, since 2021, using the platform to raise awareness and funding support for global reforestation efforts via the Priceless Planet Coalition. Sustainability and innovation continue as driving forces behind the initiative.

“Collaborative initiatives like these make a real difference in protecting our environment without compromising on quality or convenience or an event's return on investment, said Mr. Rittri (photo above), one of Sweden’s leading environmental entrepreneurs. He said huge credit must go to The R&A for having the foresight and creativity to implement such a bold and future-proofed solution at two of the sporting world’s most respected international events.

“By working with ourselves at Bluewater in this exciting initiative that combines innovation and environmental responsibility, The R&A continues to lead by example in promoting sustainability across the sports industry. Together, we are championing change, one water refill and one reusable bottle at a time, while ensuring that athletes have access to healthy drinking water free of toxic chemicals and microplastics throughout each championship event,” said Mr. Rittri.

Bluewater’s unique ecosystem of hydration solutions for global events and venues, such as the indoor dispenser pictured above, combines point-of-consumption water purification technology with high-visibility communications and function.

Bluewater dispensing solutions utilize multi-stage water purification, including Bluewater’s patented SuperiorOsmosis™ Reverse Osmosis process, which removes up to 99.7% of impurities from water. Chilled and delicious drinking water is then created locally on-site, avoiding the high-carbon manufacture and shipment of any form of pre-filled single-use containers. Bluewater dispensers are complemented by an industry-leading range of refillable vessels, which are fully customizable, and manufactured from non-leaching materials such as stainless steel and borosilicate glass.