Zip Water’s Accessible Remote, designed and manufactured in Condell Park, NSW, has won a 2026 Australian Good Design Award for its approach to making drinking water more accessible.
The product allows users to dispense instant boiling, chilled and sparkling water without operating controls on the tap itself.
According to Zip Water, it was developed in response to demand from workplaces, government agencies, healthcare providers and building specifiers for more inclusive drinking water solutions.
“This project started with a simple question: how can we make accessing drinking water easier for everyone?” said Mike Abbott, President Culligan ANZ and Zip Water International.
The remote features Braille labelling, illuminated controls, oversized activation buttons and flexible installation options. It also includes a dedicated safety activation button for boiling water, which Zip Water said is intended to help reduce the risk of accidental dispensing.
The company said it consulted accessibility specialists throughout the development process and designed the product to support compliance with relevant AS 1428 accessibility requirements in the built environment.
“Zip Accessible Remote was developed to give more people the confidence and independence to access drinking water safely and comfortably, while providing organisations with a practical solution that supports workplace inclusion,” Abbott said.
Available from October 2026, the remote is compatible with Zip HydroTap G5 Commercial systems and can be installed in both new and existing environments.
