Refill Your Water Bottle

Officials pose for a photo with a refilling station at Honeymoon Island State Park. Left to right: BJ Givens, Bureau Chief, Chuck Hatcher, Director, Sharon Arollyo, Duke Energy Florida, Tammy Gustafson, Florida State Parks Foundation and Donald Bergeron, manager at Honeymoon Island State Park.

Staying hydrated is key when you visit a state park – but so is protecting the planet!  

Bring your refillable water bottle to reduce the use of single-use plastics that can litter our landscapes and waterways. 

Carrying a refillable water bottle is one easy way we can all reduce the amount of plastic waste in our lives, and recently, Florida State Parks joined with the Florida State Parks Foundation and Duke Energy Florida to install more than 120 water bottle refilling stations at 80 state parks around Florida. Designed specially for refilling water bottles, the stations are less awkward to use than a traditional water fountain when filling up your bottle on the go. These stations are now in service throughout state parks from Destin to the Florida Keys and can be found at campgrounds, trailheads, visitor centers, restrooms and other locations at state parks.

This effort is part of the Florida State Parks' commitment to reducing waste in our state parks and increasing both sustainability and resilience. By encouraging visitors to bring refillable water bottles to our parks, we hope to decrease the amount of single-use water bottles thrown away at landfills and reduce the plastic litter found along our trails, at campsites, on beaches and in Florida's waterways.

Duke Energy presented a check for $175,000 to help with the purchase and installation of 121 bottle refilling stations at 80 parks.

Duke Energy presented a check for $175,000 to help with the purchase and installation of 121 bottle refilling stations at 80 parks.

Duke Energy Florida provided a $175,000 grant to help with purchase and installation. The remainder of the nearly $200,000 project was funded through revenue generated by the Florida State Parks Foundation’s “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate that debuted in early 2022.

Next time you plan on heading to one of our 175 state parks, we hope you’ll grab your refillable water bottle and enjoy exploring … the Real Florida.