More than 100 drinking water fountains will be installed across Mater Dei Hospital in the next four months as the state-run hospital works to cut down on plastic waste.

Patients, visitors and staff members will be able to drink freely from any of the 115 drinking fountains that will be installed at the hospital in collaboration with Water Services Corporation.

The first water fountains have already been installed at Mater Dei.

The We Are Water campaign is part of Mater Dei Hospital’s broader plan to eliminate plastic waste. Exactly one year ago, the hospital announced that it would no longer provide plastic cutlery with food in staff canteens.

Delivery trucks make an estimated 700 trips to the hospital every year to deliver water to Mater Dei, and hospital users throw away an estimated 400,000 plastic bottles every year.

To encourage use of the new water fountains, hospital management will be distributing 7,000 reusable water containers to hospital staff in the coming months. Patients and visitors will be people to bring their own reusable water containers with them.

Mater Dei Hospital will soon be entrusted to a new leadership team, with current CEO Ivan Falzon having announced earlier this month that he will step down after six years in charge. Celia Falzon will take over as hospital CEO next month.