University of Nevada Las Vegas
IN-3: Innovation 3

This initiative has flourished into an actual university operational practice through the collaboration between the following entities: the UNLV Take Back the Tap student organization, UNLV Facilities Management, and UNLV Dining's services operated by Aramark. The 5-cent surcharge was first introduced in the UNLV Reduction Plan for Plastic Water Bottle Usage as a recommendation to add funding to increase the amount of hydration stations on campus. Along with adding funding to install more hydration stations on campus, the surcharge hopes to act as a repellent for users to decrease their usage of single-use plastic water bottles. The idea was proposed to the UNLV Vice President of Finance & Business at UNLV during November 2013 and was officially implemented on March 12, 2014. The plastic water bottles that receive this added fee are the bottles found at all UNLV Dining retail locations on campus. The 5-cents are added to a separate fund and once a suitable amount is accumulated, the hydration station will be purchased for an area at UNLV that is in need of a refilling station. Since March 12, 2014 - $1,473.75 has been accumulated in the fund. The cheapest hydration station that can be purchased is $1500.00 and therefore, we soon will be reaching the minimal goal to purchase a hydration station. Once the purchase is done, the account will again begin from scratch to keep making tangible goals to purchase hydration stations.