sustainable hydration solutions for sports — waterdrop® at the Boss Open

Sustainable Hydration Solutions for Sports: waterdrop® at the Boss Open

At the Boss Open in Stuttgart, waterdrop® turns sustainable hydration solutions for sports into a concrete operations plan: no single-use plastic bottles, free refill points, and reusable containers across the venue (June 8–16, 2024).

As premium partner and the official Hydration, Electrolyte, and Bottle Partner of the ATP event, waterdrop® and tournament operator Emotion Group implemented a venue-wide switch to reusables and refills. According to tournament communications, the Boss Open is the first ATP tournament to be completely free of plastic bottles, establishing a blueprint for pro tennis events that want to cut waste without compromising player or fan hydration.

How do the Boss Open eliminate single-use plastic bottles?

The event bans single-use plastic bottles at entry and sells no drinks in plastic bottles on site; instead, it provides free water refill stations and reusable drinkware across the grounds.

Spectators were asked to bring steel or other reusable bottles; those arriving with disposables could drop them at collection bins for proper return via Germany’s deposit system, with proceeds donated to Plastic Bank. Refill points were distributed throughout the site so attendees could top up at no cost, while those without a bottle used returnable hard-plastic cups. Players and staff received reusable bottles and microdrinks for consistent access to hydration without waste. These measures are documented in partner communications and local trade coverage of the event’s plastic-free concept (Boss Open partnership overview; about-drinks event report).

• Gate control: no single-use plastic bottles admitted; deposit return for collected items
• Infrastructure: free, high-throughput water stations across public areas and player zones
• Provisioning: reusable bottles for athletes and staff; returnable cups for fans without bottles
• On-site retail: event-branded reusable bottles available at the Hydration Court

From an editorial perspective, the operational throughline is decisive: pair a strict plastic-bottle policy with frictionless alternatives—ubiquitous refills and ready access to reusables—so adoption is effortless on a busy match day.

What do fans, players, and staff use to stay hydrated?

Fans refill at free water stations or use returnable hard cups; players and staff use issued reusable bottles paired with microdrinks and electrolytes to tailor intake without single-use waste.

The event’s hydration model combines universal access with choice: fans can refill still water widely, while athletes and crew standardize on waterdrop® bottles and flavor/electrolyte cubes to personalize hydration during and after play. For merchandise-minded attendees, the Hydration Court offered bottles, including a Boss Open steel bottle edition, aligning the fan experience with the no-plastic policy. According to tournament and partner statements, this approach avoids the typical bottleneck—cold bottled water logistics—without compromising volume, temperature, or convenience for end users (Boss Open bottle program).

In practice, events that deliver enough taps per thousand attendees and visibly signpost refill points see quick behavior shifts; clear signage and cup return lanes reduce queue friction and litter. This is a replicable template for stadium-scale sustainable hydration solutions for sports.

What is the Phantor atmospheric water generator?

Phantor is a mobile atmospheric water generator that condenses water from ambient air—producing 500 to 10,000 liters of drinking water per day, filtered to WHO standards.

At the Boss Open, waterdrop® partnered with Upper Austrian firm Imhotep.Industries to demo Phantor adjacent to the Hydration Court. The system pulls moist air below its dew point (~6–8°C extraction temperature), condenses water, and routes it through multi-stage treatment—UV, mineralization, and bacterial filtration—to potable quality. Control electronics adapt operation to weather conditions, and power can come from the grid, renewables (PV, wind), batteries, or generators, making the unit suitable for both stationary and semi-stationary deployment. For sports venues, the relevance is twofold: on-demand, local water production with no bottle logistics, and a path to resilient hydration infrastructure if mains supply is constrained (coverage of the Phantor demo).

The Technology Behind It

Technically, Phantor optimizes energy use by recirculating cooled, dehumidified air, which can improve efficiency by up to roughly 30% under suitable conditions, while software times production to favorable humidity/temperature windows. The modular output range (hundreds to ten-thousand liters/day) suits diverse use cases—from remote camps to event overlays—aligning with a low-waste, low-transport footprint for water provisioning.

No More Plastic Bottles at the Boss Open

The Boss Open’s plastic-bottle-free design aligns with the ATP’s broader sustainability ambitions, with waterdrop® positioned as a long-term hydration partner. Partner materials note that waterdrop® innovations have kept more than 30 million plastic bottles out of circulation to date, illustrating the cumulative impact when reusables and refills become default practice (ATP partnership statement).

For organizers evaluating sustainable hydration solutions for sports, the Stuttgart rollout shows where policy and infrastructure meet: a firm stance on disposables, reliable refill capacity, and clear alternatives for every stakeholder. As of 2024, this represents one of the clearest case studies on the ATP Tour of turning sustainability claims into measurable operational change.

About waterdrop®

Founded in Austria in 2016, waterdrop® pioneered the “microdrink” concept—sugar-free cubes with natural fruit and plant extracts that dissolve in water—alongside reusable bottles and filtration systems. The company aims to reduce plastic and sugar across everyday hydration. Partner communications for the Boss Open highlight the brand’s claim of preventing over 30 million plastic bottles from entering circulation so far and its pledge—through Plastic Bank—to remove one plastic bottle from nature per pack sold (ATP partnership statement; about-drinks report).

Distribution spans Europe, the USA, Singapore, and Australia, complemented by direct retail and major retail listings. The sports-facing portfolio—official ATP Players’ Bottle, reusable lines, and electrolytes—targets elite and mass participation alike as sustainable hydration solutions for sports scale from marquee tournaments to clubs and school athletics.

About Imhotep.Industries

Imhotep.Industries, the innovation hub of clean-tech company neoom, develops the PHANTOR atmospheric water generator to address water scarcity in remote, infrastructure-limited, or resilience-critical scenarios. PHANTOR’s mobility, software-optimized energy use, and flexible power inputs (grid, renewables, battery, generator) position it as a complementary layer to municipal supply for events and temporary venues—reducing transport, packaging, and contingency risks while aligning with low-waste operations showcased at the Boss Open.

Fazit

The Boss Open delivered a workable template for sustainable hydration solutions for sports: enforce no single-use bottles, make refills ubiquitous, and offer reusables by default. The Phantor demo added a forward-looking angle on local water generation. For other tournaments and venues, Stuttgart’s playbook is replicable: policy plus infrastructure, backed by clear communications. As partners report, cumulative impact—tens of millions of bottles avoided—emerges when these measures become standard rather than side activations.

At the Boss Open, waterdrop® is making significant strides in sustainability and hydration. Their innovative approach not only supports environmental goals but also promotes better hydration habits among attendees. This initiative is a testament to how technology and sustainability can go hand in hand in modern events.

In a related note, the development of sustainable fish packaging solutions is another example of how companies are embracing eco-friendly practices. By using smart and green solutions, these companies are reducing their environmental footprint, much like waterdrop® at the Boss Open.

Furthermore, advancements in technology continue to surprise us. For instance, the solar-powered outdoor security cameras by IMOU highlight how solar energy can be harnessed to power everyday devices. This innovation not only promotes sustainability but also ensures security with minimal environmental impact.

Lastly, the introduction of liquid cooled AI data centers is revolutionizing how we think about data storage and energy efficiency. These centers use advanced cooling techniques to maintain optimal performance while reducing energy consumption, aligning with the sustainability goals seen at the Boss Open.