New Water Fountain at Marylebone

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

Chiltern have provided a water fountain at Marylebone. However, unlike almost everywhere else that provides such a service free of charge this one will cost you 25p to fill your water bottle.

Judging by the response on X https://x.com/chilternrailway/status/1822203789668929914?s=61 the decision to charge is not going down well.

Gosh, even airports don’t charge you to fill your water bottle. I suspect a screeching U turn by Chiltern will soon be forthcoming.

[Timmer]

Appears Chiltern aren’t the only ones charging for water. Some SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) stations have water machines that are also chargeable.

[JayMac]

May be in breach of the Water Resale Order 2006. Someone selling 'tap' water cannot profit from the sale of it. The average cost of a litre of tap water in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) is 0.1p. Chiltern's profit percentage is 2400%!!!

Trebles all round.

[CyclingSid]

I try and remember where I ca refill a water bottle. Used Guildford again yesterday, excellent machine. Used Southampton last week, good job the train wasn't coming soon, slow? Reading has one which I don't need to use.

As JayMac says I also believe that you are not allowed to resell tap water at a profit, which presumably means the vendor has to absorb the cost of equipment or staff. Local pubs tend not to be amused when I ask for  a half of draught Thames.

[Fourbee]

Some SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) stations have water machines that are also chargeable.

Unless I was pressing the wrong buttons, the one at Bournemouth last year wanted a fee (I can't remember how much).

I Used Guildford again yesterday, excellent machine. Used Southampton last week, good job the train wasn't coming soon, slow? Reading has one which I don't need to use.

The Guildford one is by the toilets on Platform 2 and is activated by putting your bottle near it (no buttons to press). Only issue could be if you had a large diameter bottle. The Reading one in the waiting room on Platform 7 I think was free, but now charges?

[Fourbee]

As JayMac says I also believe that you are not allowed to resell tap water at a profit, which presumably means the vendor has to absorb the cost of equipment or staff. Local pubs tend not to be amused when I ask for  a half of draught Thames.

Don't the ones that charge claimed it is filtered, whether that makes a substantial enough difference vs. Peckham Spring I don't know!

[TaplowGreen]

May be in breach of the Water Resale Order 2006. Someone selling 'tap' water cannot profit from the sale of it. The average cost of a litre of tap water in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) is 0.1p. Chiltern's profit percentage is 2400%!!!

Trebles all round.

I suspect they will say that the charge is in respect of installation, running costs and ongoing maintenance rather than for the water itself.

[stuving]

May be in breach of the Water Resale Order 2006. Someone selling 'tap' water cannot profit from the sale of it. The average cost of a litre of tap water in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) is 0.1p. Chiltern's profit percentage is 2400%!!!

Trebles all round.

But in the order itself:

“Purchaser” means a person who occupies any dwelling and who buys from a Re-seller any water or sewerage services.

“Re-seller” means any person who is not a Relevant Undertaker but who
(a) provides to any Purchaser a supply of piped water which a Water Undertaker has supplied, directly or indirectly, to the Re-seller; or
(b) provides to any Purchaser a sewerage service which a Sewerage Undertaker has supplied, directly or indirectly, to the Re-seller, but does not include any person who uses any Relevant Pipe belonging to any Water Undertaker to transport water already belonging to that first person from a point of connection on any Water Undertaker’s supply system.

[ChrisB]

One of the responses to that tweet mentions Kings Cross sells it at 45p....there is no limit to amount dispensed for your 25p, but I agree, I think Chiltern will back off soon.

They don't help themselves either - went on to say that a proportion of the sales goes to charity - and then admitted it was only 10%

[Timmer]

One of the responses to that tweet mentions Kings Cross sells it at 45p....there is no limit to amount dispensed for your 25p, but I agree, I think Chiltern will back off soon.

Looking at posts on this topic on UKRailforums, references are made to the machine at Kings Cross offering standard water free of charge but charging for fancier options such as purified, sparkling etc. How clear the free option is???

[ChrisB]

Indeed - Chiltern's also dispenses a sparkling version for the same fee

[Surrey 455]

Wasn't / Isn't there a water dispenser shaped liked a vending machine near the toilets on Platform 12 at Paddington? I recall that also charged a fee too.