6.3.3 Free drinking water provided
Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) provides free drinking water for students, staff and visitors. In 2025, free drinking water was available at 157 drinking water stations (drinking water dispensers, similar to drinking water fountains) across both campuses: 112 at Ongkharak Campus and 45 at Prasarnmit Campus. Each station is labelled “Free Drinking Water – LOVES SWU” so that users know the water is free of charge, and all stations are open to students, staff and visitors at no cost.
Free Drinking Water Stations on Both Campuses
At Ongkharak Campus, 112 filtered drinking water dispensers are installed at 26 locations, including all 11 student dormitories and their service buildings, academic and administrative buildings, the Central Library, the Student Club Building, the sports building and the Faculties of Nursing, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Physical Therapy. The location of every station is published on an online campus map.
At Prasarnmit Campus, the Faculty of Science has installed 30 hot–cold water dispensers with high-quality filtration systems in Buildings 10, 15 and 19. The University provides a further 15 dispensers at 7 points in central buildings: Building 14 (in front of the lifts on every floor from 1 to 8), the Professor Dr. Saroj Buasri Innovation Building (floor 1), the Learning Tower (Building 35, floor 2 hall) and Cafeterias 1 and 2 (floor 1).
Campus | Number of stations | Main locations |
Ongkharak Campus | 112 | 11 student dormitories and 3 dormitory service buildings, academic and administrative buildings, Central Library, Student Club Building, Sports Building 2, Faculties of Nursing, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Physical Therapy |
Prasarnmit Campus | 45 | Faculty of Science Buildings 10, 15 and 19 (30); Building 14, Saroj Buasri Innovation Building, Learning Tower (Building 35) and Cafeterias 1 and 2 (15) |
Total | 157 |
|
Drinking Water Stations at Ongkharak Campus by Location, 2025
No. | Location | Number of stations |
1 | Administration Building (floors 1, 4 and 5) | 3 |
2 | Central Lecture Building (floors 1–5) | 5 |
3 | Foundation Building (floors 1–5) | 5 |
4 | Kanlayanamit Building (floor 1) | 1 |
5 | Building U (floor 1) | 1 |
6 | Student Dormitory 1 (floors 1–5) | 5 |
7 | Student Dormitory 2 (floors 1–5) | 8 |
8 | Student Dormitory 3 (floors 1–5) | 5 |
9 | Student Dormitory 4 (floors 1–5) | 8 |
10 | Student Dormitory 5 (floors 1–5) | 5 |
11 | Dormitory Service Building 5.5 (floor 1) | 1 |
12 | Student Dormitory 6 (floors 1–5) | 5 |
13 | Okta Building (floor 1) | 1 |
14 | Student Dormitory 7 (floors 1–5) | 5 |
15 | Dormitory Service Building 7.5 (floor 1) | 1 |
16 | Student Dormitory 8 (floors 1–5) | 5 |
17 | Student Dormitory 9 (floors 1–5) | 5 |
18 | Dormitory Service Building 9.5 (floor 1) | 1 |
19 | Student Dormitory 10 (floors 1–5) | 5 |
20 | Student Dormitory 11 (floors 1–5) | 6 |
21 | Fitness Room, Sports Building 2 (floor 1) | 1 |
22 | Faculty of Nursing Building (floors 1–9) | 9 |
23 | Student Club Building (floors 2 and 3) | 4 |
24 | Faculty of Physical Therapy Building (floors 1–3) | 3 |
25 | Central Library (floors 1, 3, 4 and 5) | 4 |
26 | Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Building (floors 1–6) | 10 |
| Total | 112 |
Free Drinking Water Labelled for Everyone on Campus
The photographs below show free drinking water dispensers on campus, labelled “Free Drinking Water – LOVES SWU”.
Source: https://sd.op.swu.ac.th/News/น้ำดื่มฟรีเพื่อประชาคม-มศว
The online map below shows the locations of all 112 drinking water stations at Ongkharak Campus.
Source: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1c2e0KxRKRdByZpWUxBfemcENphUTmd0
Maintenance and Water Quality of Drinking Water Dispensers
The University contracts the regular maintenance of the dispensers. At the Faculty of Science, the quality of the drinking water from the dispensers is tested every month. At Ongkharak Campus, the dispensers are supplied with tap water from the University's water production plant, which is tested every week against the tap water quality standards of the Provincial Waterworks Authority (see SDG 6.5.4). Students and staff are encouraged to refill their own bottles to reduce single-use plastic, in line with the University's Green University policy. The photograph below shows a student refilling her own bottle at a filtered water dispenser of the Faculty of Science, Prasarnmit Campus.
Source: https://science.swu.ac.th/sdgs/sdg_drinkingwater/
Free Drinking Water Refill Stations at Prasarnmit Campus: “SWU Green: Drink Safe, Cut Plastic”
At Prasarnmit Campus, SWU provides free drinking water refill stations in buildings and canteens, so that students, staff and other users of these buildings can drink clean water and refill their own bottles and cups free of charge. The Physical Development Division promotes the stations under the campaign “SWU Green: Drink Safe, Cut Plastic”, with a map of station locations and a call for everyone to carry a reusable personal water bottle. There are two types of station: Type 1, hot, cold and room-temperature water dispensers; and Type 2, wall-mounted contactless refill stations with a UV system that dispense chilled water.
Water at the stations passes through a filtration system, and the Type 2 stations add UV treatment, so users drink clean water that meets drinking water quality standards. The drinking water is free in two ways: users pay nothing for it, and it is safe for their health. In this way, the stations support the health and well-being of students while reducing the need to buy bottled water.
Type 1: Hot, Cold and Room-Temperature Water Dispensers
Type 1 dispensers are located at Building 14 (lift lobbies, floors 1–8), Building 35 (Learning Tower, floor 2 lobby) and Canteens 1 and 2 (ground floor). The images below show the campaign poster with the map of dispenser locations, followed by the dispensers at each location.
Building 14: lift lobbies, floors 1–8
Building 35 (Learning Tower): floor 2 lobby
Canteens 1 and 2: ground floor
Type 2: Wall-Mounted Contactless Refill Stations with UV System (Chilled Water)
These wall-mounted stations are installed at the M.L. Pin Malakul Service Building and Canteens 1 and 2 (ground floor). Users place a bottle or cup under the spout and fill it without touching the unit, which keeps refilling hygienic for every user.
M.L. Pin Malakul Service Building
Canteens 1 and 2: ground floor
Smart Water Dispensers with Seven-stage Filtration
As part of its commitment to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SWU has installed smart water dispensers that give students, staff and visitors clean, safe drinking water free of charge. Each dispenser purifies the water through seven filtration stages, shown by indicator lights on the front panel: PP10 and PP5 sediment filters, a carbon filter (CAR), a resin filter (RES), an ultrafiltration membrane (UF), a post-carbon filter (PCB) and ultraviolet (UV) sterilisation. The lights let users see that every stage is working each time they fill a bottle. An additional pre-filter housing is fitted on the inlet water line, and each unit has an automatic safety breaker. With several taps on each unit, many people can refill at the same time.
The University sees access to high-quality drinking water as part of looking after the health and well-being of its students. The SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation icon on the front of every dispenser shows that this free service is part of the University's work towards clean water and sanitation for all. The photographs below show a smart water dispenser with its seven filtration indicator lights and the SDG 6 icon, and a student refilling a bottle free of charge.
Free Drinking Water Beyond the Main Campuses
Free drinking water is also provided beyond the two main campuses. At the SWU Demonstration School, Somdet Ya Learning Community, in Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province, a highland school of the University, a new drinking water system was completed in August 2025 with funding from the Director of the SWU Prasarnmit Demonstration School (Secondary). Students took part in designing, planning and building the system, including its water storage tanks, as an integrated learning project, and the system now supplies enough clean drinking water free of charge for all students every day. The project was reported on 22 August 2025.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1197098512452360&id=100064566679165