Water Access

Increasing access to clean, free water is an important strategy in decreasing sugary drinks consumption: water offers a no-calorie and healthy substitute for sodas and the like. Sugary Drinks Distributor Tax (SDDT) funds have paid for the installation of hydration stations (and upgrades to some existing drinking fountains) in public spaces in key neighborhoods and at schools attended by children and youth in priority populations. The new stations are high-quality and visually appealing, encouraging community members to use them, beautifying public spaces, and serving as a model of community-based hydration stations. Providing free water is also intended to encourage citizens to use refillable containers instead of purchasing single-use water bottles, which reduces waste.  

SF’s delicious tap water costs less than half a penny per gallon and is quality tested more than 100,000 times a year . In fact, tap water is also highly regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and meets or exceeds state and local water quality standards. Learn more about SF’s tap water.

The next time you are out and about in the City, remember to bring your reusable container and refill your bottle at any of our tap stations. See our searchable map: Red dots indicate taps located in schools; blue dots indicate taps in the public realm.

Funded Organizations