Water and Hydration Solutions for Music Festivals in the Summer Heat.

The provision of clean safe drinking water at any outdoor festival is essential. A summer festival can experience hot and dry weather and it is vital that festival-goers and all on-site visitors stay hydrated and cool to prevent medical issues. What solutions are available for festival organisers to provide water on remote festival sites.

In many European and North American counties the festival season can see a variety of climates. It is not unusual for summer months to experience heatwaves, and this has serious implications for the safety of all music festival site visitors. Organisers should explore and assess potential water suppliers to ensure that a good supply of fresh clean water is always available for the duration or their event.

Health and Safety. 
A remotely located festival site will require water to be shipped onto the site usually in storage tanks. Check with potential suppliers how they treat and test their water to stay clean and safe for consumption. Many suppliers now use triple filters, UV treatments or reverse osmosis which is one of the most effective methods of eliminating water contaminants. In addition, it is preferable to install water stations that use touch free dispensing solutions to reduce contamination.

Sustainability.
The installation of free flow water stations is one of the most effective ways of improving the festival’s sustainability credentials as it enables the banning of plastic water bottles. Visitors are encouraged to use their own refillable containers made form metal or other recycled materials. All water supplies and disposal require electricity to power pumps but increasingly these can be powered by solar or small turbines as the electricity required is small. The grey water collection and disposal should be an essential part of the contractor’s responsibilities to ensure environmental protection of the site. 

Keeping Cool and Hydrated in Hot Weather. 
Water station installations can allow for chilling and will be particularly welcome in hot weather because cold water is an effective way of cooling down the body. Also consider the use of misting stations where high-pressure pumps feed large fans to release a fine mist that leaves no residue on the ground. The installation of a cooling oasis with misting fans can help reduce the surrounding area’s ambient temperature by 25-degrees Fahrenheit. Many of these misting fans can be powered by small solar or turbine power generators which makes them self-sustaining.

Careful selection of a water supply contractor can ensure the provision of safe clean drinking water in a sustainable manner. Innovation is also enabling an enhanced experience for festival-goers who can access chilled water or misting stations throughout a site so that they can stay hydrated and comfortable on hot days.

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by Selcuk YILDIZ from Pixabay

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