Drinking water free of charge

The request was successful.

Dear Department of Health,

Is there any legislation available to yourselves to enforce an Airport in England to supply safe drinking water free of charge to passengers who have had it removed due to security issues.

Yours faithfully,

D Smith

Department of Health and Social Care

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Alex Skene left an annotation ()

In my experience, all the London BAA airports have water fountains. When I've not been able to find one I've never had a problem with getting airside restaurants or cafes to fill up my empty water bottle (which you are allowed to take through security).

You're more scuppered in other countries where the quality of the local tap water isn't as good as in the UK. In addition, cabin crew on most airlines will supply you with a glass of water on request.

Department of Health and Social Care

DE486417

1 March 2010

Dear Mr/Ms Smith

Thank you for your email to the Department of Health of 1 March 2010, in
which you asked, under the Freedom of Information Act:

is there any legislation available to yourselves to enforce an Airport in
England to supply safe drinking water free of charge to passengers who
have had it removed due to security issues.

The provision of free drinking water at UK airports does not fall within
the Department of Health's responsibility. You may be aware that the
Department for Transport issued a response to a parliamentary question
which covers similar ground to your own request:

Airports: Drinking Water
Questions
Asked by Lord Monson
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is obligatory for operators of
commercial airports in the United Kingdom to ensure that drinking water is
available to airline passengers and other airport users free of charge.
[HL731]

21 Jan 2009 : Column WA202

The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): The
provision of free drinking water in public buildings including airports is
not generally obligatory but is the responsibility of the building
operator. Nevertheless, most airports do provide free water.
This is available from Hansard:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa...

If you have any follow up questions on this topic, you might consider
submitting an FOI request to the Department of Transport. Information on
how to do this can be accessed from:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/whatyouneedtok...

I hope this reply is helpful. If you are unhappy with the service you
have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint or
request a review of our decision, you should write to:

Head of the Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health
Room 317
Richmond House
79 Whitehall,
London
SW1A 2NS

Email: [email address]

If you are not content with the outcome your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the
ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints
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contacted at:

The Information Commissioner's Office
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SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Lynn Swyny
FOI Case Manager
Department of Health

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
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paul left an annotation ()

What (Lord Adonis): has failed to grasp from his reply is that Airports are not in the same category as water has been forced from you at airport security and are unique as you can take your own water into Public buildings. There should be a law forcing them to provide replacement water for that taken from you as it a human basic need.