As you're sitting on the headed for the Hamptons this summer, you'll find that the bottled water handed out to passengers is actually a gateway to information about where to go and what to do.
Hamptons Water, a new vapor distilled water with added electrolytes, is distributed by an Amagansett-based company and offers more than just the Hamptons-branding.
Each bottle has a matrix barcode, known as Quick Response Code, that can be scanned using a smartphone and takes users to the Hamptons Water Company website for information on Hamptons events and businesses. A free application made for reading the black-and-white, pixelated, postage-size design can be downloaded for free from the internet.
Hamptons Water Company, which actually gets the water from a stream in the Catskills, recently became the official water sponsor for the Jitney this summer, according to , who only launched the water company a few months ago.
It has quickly made its way onto shelves at stores throughout the South Fork, like the and in East Hampton, and restaurants, like and in Amagansett. , a Hamptons wedding planner, is using bottles at weddings.
She describes the water's taste as "clean, fresh and pure." One bottle retails for between $2.75 and $3.
Romaine Gordon said she had been trying to think of other businesses to complement her fitness studio, in Amagansett. "It makes sense as a fitness facility to have your own water," she said.
An important part of the new line of water, Gordon said, is that a percentage of the sales is donated to charity signified by the "Hydrate to Help" logo. Each bottle of water means one nickel goes to a deserving cause, which will change occasionally. Currently, the money is going toward The Max Cure Foundation, which helps raise money for rare pediatric cancer research.
"It gives people a reason to reach for the water," Gordon said. "If people carry the water, they're helping out."
The new company is also the official water sponsor at several events, such as last month and the upcoming Paddler's for Humanity race.
While Gordon has hopes of selling the water beyond the South Fork and also expanding the line to include carbonated and flavored waters, she wants to keep the mission local. "We are working to make the HWC site everything Hamptons, such as where to work out, where to get the best gourmet take out, where to dine out, where to shop and much more," she said.
Local businesses can promote their business for free on the site. Consumers are also encouraged to upload their favorite Hamptons photos to the gallery, including those featuring the bottled water.
