From today, RRA Koroška officially drinks exclusively tap water because it is safe, tasty and significantly fresher than bottled water!

Within the framework of the Regional Development Agency for Koroška , they decided to approach reputable organizations and companies that care about protecting the environment and thus the future of us and our children as a consciously sustainable agency. They decided to obtain a certificate from the Chamber of Municipal Economy of Slovenia , which sets an example for eliminating environmentally harmful practices and calls on the general public to adopt more friendly, sustainable and wise approaches to everyday water consumption and actively draws attention to the importance of reducing waste.

Accordingly, they want to take an even more active approach to implementing measures to care for the health of their employees. However, because drinking water is becoming a value that is crucial for the health of the population and because they find it important to follow the trend of a sustainable attitude and environmentally and nature-friendly agencies and destinations, they decided to talk about the topic more broadly.

Today, Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 11 a.m., a press conference was held at the Bukovje Manor. The following speakers participated: the representative of the NIJZ OE Ravne na Koroškem Matej Ivartnik, the Mayor of the Municipality of Dravograd Anton Preksavec, the Director of the Municipal Economy of Slovenia Sebastijan Zupanc, and the Director of RRA Koroške doo Uroš Rozman.

Director of the Regional Development Agency for Koroška, Uroš Rozman, said: "Achieving the 'Tap Water' certificate confirms our commitment to sustainable development and environmental responsibility. This achievement is the result of our efforts to promote the use of local natural resources, reduce plastic waste and raise awareness of the importance of drinking tap water. We believe that with such steps we can contribute to a better future for everyone, both in Koroška and beyond. We are grateful to everyone who supports our vision of a sustainable and responsible society."

The Director of the Chamber of Municipal Economy of Slovenia, Sebastijan Zupanc, emphasizes that drinking water from the tap is the healthiest and freshest choice. "The water in Koroška is also very good and it is right that the population and organizations are aware of this. Slovenians are a sustainably minded nation, but of course we also need encouragement. Years ago, marketing did its thing, pre-packaged water began to be sold. People have somewhat forgotten that they have wealth at home on tap. We want to gradually shift this mentality and I must say that we are quite successful in doing so."

The Regional Development Agency for Koroška was also congratulated by the Mayor of the Municipality of Dravograd, Anton Preksavec, for the step of obtaining the "Water from the Tap" certificate. He said that the mayors are also committed to upgrading the water supply system in the Drava Valley. This will include natural drinking water purification systems, they want to switch to other methods of disinfection, as chlorine often causes resistance in people, and they are committed to the introduction of UV disinfection.

The certificate is also very close to Rozman because it is well promoted. Even with an event like today's, the public is made aware of the importance of serving tap water and a sustainable attitude, it encourages the avoidance of pre-packaged water and that this is environmentally friendly. It is obvious and alerts every visitor to an important fact, because its imprint is also on jugs and glasses. It is difficult for a person to overlook this.

The representative of the NIJZ OE Ravne na Koroškem, Matej Ivartnik, also welcomes the encouragement of the Regional Development Agency for Koroška and believes that it is an essential actor in this kind of awareness-raising. "We have already participated in various projects in the past and I believe that we will continue to do so. Within the framework of the NIJZ, we also follow the approaches and commitments that we are talking about today. In Koroška, we definitely drink good water and it is certainly safe, tasty and significantly fresher than from a bottle. We actually drink spring water from the tap, which is difficult to imagine in the world. Also, when we look at the locations from which we get most of our water sources - in our country it comes from nature. The choice is not difficult, you just have to make a decision."

The event concluded with the official awarding of the certificate, and from today on, the Regional Development Agency for Koroška will be even more committed to offering exclusively tap water in its premises and at all events; employees, partners, customers and all other stakeholders will also be encouraged to drink tap water. The public will be made aware that we have high-quality drinking water in Koroška and Slovenia, and that drinking tap water is healthier and more environmentally friendly than reaching for pre-packaged water. Drinking water will be served in glass jugs and glasses, and bottled water will be avoided.

They invite and urge you to follow suit!