The MANZI Water Hydration System allows runners to refill quickly and efficiently during races, supporting consistent hydration without reliance on single-use packaging

The refillable MANZI Water Hydration Bottle forms a key part of the model

MANZI Water Hydration System reduces single-use plastic waste

THE MANZI Water Hydration System represents a recent breakthrough for South African sport as a sustainable approach that reduces single-use plastic waste during endurance events.

A modular, high-flow refill solution designed specifically for endurance events, the MANZI Water Hydration System allows runners to refill quickly and efficiently during races, supporting consistent hydration without reliance on single-use packaging. The design is built around modular, food-grade structures fitted with multiple high flow valves that allow several runners to refill in under ten seconds. High-capacity water tanks at every station maintain pressure and ensure uninterrupted and hygienic refills at practical intervals along the route.

The refillable MANZI Water Hydration Bottle, a BPA-free 500ml soft flask designed for endurance events, forms a key part of the model. Participants carry their own reusable bottle, allowing for fast refills along the route while significantly reducing waste generated during the event through the removal of single-use plastic cups, sachets, and bottles.

This system made its debut at the 2026 Timbercity Red Hill Marathon organised by the Fish Hoek Athletics Club in partnership with MANZI Water. At the event, a full-route refill-only model was implemented, removing the need for single-use plastic cups, sachets, and bottles. This demonstrated that a refill-based hydration approach is both practical and effective at scale within a real-world race environment.

“The club began testing the model last year after researching international examples”, said Andre Blom, Fish Hoek Athletics general manager.

They were inspired by a marathon in the United States that made use of a similar system and soon started plans to implement it here, leading to Blom reaching out to MANZI Water. A representative connected him with one of the founding members, Frank Stokell, and “from there the relationship just kept building”.

The club trialled three refill systems last year, with six being fully operational for the marathon. MANZI Water holds exclusive rights to the patented system, allowing the company to deploy the technology at major South African events.

MANZI Water CEO Alfred Challis said the partnership reflects shared purpose: “We believe that sustainable change in hydration comes from rethinking the system, not just the product. The shift towards refill-based models allows us to reduce single-use plastic meaningfully, while still delivering a reliable and high-quality hydration experience at scale”.