A strategy that includes making water access points more visible and attractive is sure to capture and improve the interest of residences.
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Municipality
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Free water, at your fingertips!
The environmental surrounding can influence community inhabitants and their lifestyle choices. This is why water should be noticeable and readily available in public places as well as municipal buildings and their respective events.
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I am Thirsty for Health in my municipality
Designed in partnership with the CISSS (Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux) from the Lanaudière and cross-sectorial region of the Plateau lanaudois the I am thirsty for health initiative in my municipality aims at promoting water consumption in public places along with identifying free water access points for their residence. Additionally the objective was to make water supply more appealing by enhancing water fountains in making them more attractive for everyday use.
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To participate, municipal institutions, businesses, and surrounding local communities are invited to:
- Display water pictogram signage in their doors and windows indicating to residents where they can access drinking water for free;
- Establish a network of free water access points for residence, and make it available via the online map;
- Promote the use of water fountains by adopting the six promotional posters, or get inspired by the tools available that provide ideas for enchancing municipal water;
- Offer or highlight non-bottled water source in places, parks, parties and public events.
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Print or download our tools
Display water pictogram signage and arrows
In municipal facilities, pictograms on the doors and windows indicate residents are welcome to come in to quench their thirst.
Municipality encouraging water consumption
Here is an info graph illustrating the winning conditions in becoming a model municipality.
Access to free drinking water in public places
Making water fountains more accessible to the population can be highly beneficial not only for the health and quality of life of citizens, but also in terms of waste reduction and sensible resource management.
Establishments and events without sweet drinks
By reducing the number of places that offer or promote sugary drinks and by refusing to allow public funds to be used for these purposes, municipalities help reduce opportunities to consume these products.
Prohibit the sales of energy drinks in public establishments
It is inadvisable, if not dangerous, to consume energy drinks when practising a sport. It is important to prohibit the selling of these drinks on sports and recreation premises under municipal jurisdiction.
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In Kamouraska, thanks to a collaboration with Cosmoss Kamouraska and the CISSS Bas-Saint-Laurent, new bike racks are now wearing the colors of the I’m thirsty for health campaign! to promote water consumption. Join their movement!
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To learn more about this initiative or to order the tools
Jalila Mafhoum, Project Manager for I'm Thirsty for Health!
Coalition Poids
514-598-8058 extension 213
soifdesante@gmail.com
For the Lanaudière region, contact:
Geneviève Filteau, APPR Dossier alimentation 0-100 ans
CISSS Lanaudière
450 755-5227 extension 4755
genevieve.filteau@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
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What does the goverment say about promoting water in municipalities?
The Quebec Water Strategy of Ministry of sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change aims to promote water sustainability. To achieve this, its goal is to reduce the use of single-use plastics and enhance the water consumption from local water supplies. This policy encourages municipalities to install and promote water fountains along with their use. This measure aims to protect Quebec’s water and reduce the environmental impact of production and residual management of single-use plastic containers.
According to the Ministry of Health’s eating Well Vision to create environments that promote healthy food choices, expects municipalities’ food supply to be of better quality than those offered in restaurants. Therefore, municipalities should mainly offer food products of higher nutritional value (says Daily Foods) and should they provide some common foods products (aliments d’occasion) which are moderate in nutritional value, they should prohibit any food or beverages that are low in nutritional value, like sugary drinks.
In addition, the Government’s Health Prevention Policy’s objective is that, by 2025, 90% municipalities with 1000 inhabitants and more will take specific actions with regards to healthy lifestyle habits. Some of those actions could possibly be: making drinking water free, more accessible and attractive in municipal events, parks and buildings as well as avoiding supplying sugary drinks in public places. These are preferred initiatives to promote healthy hydration.
Working towards these themes is aligned with other municipal responsibilities regarding the quality of drinking water and water sources preservation.
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