Introducing Quench, a new app that tells you where in Toronto you can enjoy a free glass of water or bottle refill.
Keys, phone, wallet? Check. Metropass? Back pocket. Bottled water? Um….
Haven’t gotten in the habit of making water-bottle prep a part of your daily routine? Well, there’s an app for that. Quench is a free smartphone app that allows users to find places to grab a glass of water and fill up bottles for free across the GTA. From Mimico to Scarborough, businesses, venues, and institutions have put themselves on the map and are inviting users in for a drink. Quench also holds the honour of being endorsed by the City of Toronto.
The app is a project of the Water Brothers, Alex and Tyler Mifflin. The Toronto-born and -bred siblings have a program of the same name on TVO that explores water-related issues all over the world from Greenland to Thailand; one episode explored the life and death of water bottles in Toronto, which they aptly called “Bottlegate.”
The benefits of Quench are twofold: By promoting tap water, fewer water bottles are consumed, and the City of Toronto can save a lot of money in clean-up and recycling fees. It also promotes local traffic, encourages people to visit local businesses and public spaces, and drills home the benefits of simply carrying a canteen.
Quench has debuted in Toronto, but it has plans to expand to other cities across Canada and beyond. To date, it has over 450 places on tap and counting. Learn more about Quench and the Water Brothers at thewaterbrothers.ca/quench.
