Dolcezza Gelato, J. Chocolatier and Saxby's Coffee will fill your reusable water bottle with tap water for free, now that the businesses are part of the TapIt and DC Water effort to reduce use of wasteful plastic bottled water. The free water could be welcome relief on the hot summer days ahead.

DC Water and the national network TapIt have recruited more than 60 eateries in the District to offer free water refills to those who bring their own reusable bottles.

“We’re partnering with local businesses to increase public access to drinking water, protect the environment and save people money,” said DC Water General Manager George S. Hawkins.

“More than half a billion bottles are discarded each week in this country, and only 25 percent are recycled,” said District Councilmember Tommy Wells. Wells was also one of the leading proponents of D.C.'s bag tax as part of his effort to reduce waste in area rivers.

District residents and visitors can find TapIt locations at tapitwater.com/dc, on their PC or mobile phones, and iPhone users can download the free TapIt application from the App Store. The website and application identify locations that serve unfiltered or filtered tap water.

“Users could save up to $700 per year if they were to use TapIt instead of buying a bottle of water each day," according to TapIt Campaign Director Will Schwartz.