Bank of America Chicago Marathon Debuts On-Course Refill Stations, Marking Meaningful Milestone in Sustainability Efforts

CHICAGO - The Bank of America Chicago Marathon today announced the introduction of structured, on-course refill stations in partnership with Culligan International, the global leader in water services. The new initiative marks an exciting sustainability and social responsibility milestone for the event, enabling race participants to refill personal hydration gear on course with cleaner, great-tasting water while reducing plastic waste.

Part of Culligan's multi-year partnership with the Bank of America Chicago Distance Series, the on-course refill stations reinforce the events' commitment to environmental responsibility with a first-of-its-kind approach in the United States and a first for World Major Marathons, leveraging Culligan's water services expertise to reliably hydrate participants while accelerating practices that protect the planet.

"Sustainability has been one of our core focus areas for more than a decade, and the introduction of on-course refill stations represents an important next step," said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director, Bank of America Chicago Distance Series. "Working with our partners at Culligan helps us sustainably meet the evolving needs of runners while continuing to reduce race day waste across our events - a win, win for everyone."

The Culligan Water Refill Stations leverage proven science to deliver cleaner, better-tasting drinking water at high flow rates. Using high-capacity activated carbon filtration, the systems effectively reduce microplastics and unpleasant tastes or odors while ensuring high-quality hydration for participants throughout the course.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon course will feature four Culligan Water Refill Stations, located immediately prior to Aid Station 4 (Mile 5.7), Aid Station 7 (Mile 10.1), Aid Station 12 (Mile 15.7), and Aid Station 16 (Mile 20.3). Chicago is the first Abbott World Marathon Major to formally enable personal hydration refills on course as participants can now refill their own approved self-carried hydration gear with Culligan-filtered water at each station.

"We are proud to innovate and leverage our expertise in service, science and sustainability right here in our hometown with the new Culligan Refill Stations," said Al Hamood, president and chief operating officer, Culligan International. "Our partnership with the Bank of America Chicago Distance Series reflects our commitment to improving lives while protecting the planet, setting new industry standards in endurance races and elevating runner experiences."

Sustainable advancements like this are only possible with collaboration across industries. HydraPak, an Official Vendor Partner of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, is supporting this innovative new experience providing race-day hydration products to help participants comfortably and safely carry their own gear while training and throughout major events like the Chicago Marathon.

Together, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Culligan International and HydraPak aim to build a scalable model for sustainable hydration at endurance running events.

Bank of America Chicago Marathon

In its 48th year, on Sunday, October 11, 2026, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will welcome thousands of participants from more than 100 countries and all 50 states, including a world-class professional athlete field, top regional and Masters runners, race veterans, debut marathoners and charity participants. The race's iconic course takes participants through 29 vibrant neighborhoods on an architectural and cultural tour of Chicago. Annually, more than a million spectators line the streets cheering on tens of thousands of participants from the start line to the final stretch down Columbus Drive. As a result of the race's national and international draw, the Chicago Marathon assists in raising millions of dollars for a variety of charitable causes while generating over $755.9 million in annual economic impact to its host city. The 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, will start and finish in Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 11. In advance of the race, a three-day Abbott Health & Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center on Thursday, October 8, Friday, October 9, and Saturday, October 10. For more information about the event and how to get involved, go to chicagomarathon.com.

Culligan

Culligan makes a real difference to people and to the planet by providing clean, sustainable, great-tasting water and reducing reliance on single-use plastic. Culligan is one of the world's most recognized, trusted names in water, a reputation built through a legacy of trust, innovation, service, and quality. Founded in 1936 in the United States, Culligan International operates in over 90 countries and has more than 18,000 employees worldwide. In 2024, the company reported revenue of $3.3 billion, with an average annual growth rate of approximately 34% (from 2016 to 2024). With over 22 million active installations, Culligan solutions serve more than 170 million consumers annually. This translates to an annual reduction of approximately 45 billion single-use plastic water bottles, saving almost 700 million kg of plastic and preventing more than 6 billion kg of CO₂ emissions.

The Culligan master brand covers a family of iconic brands and innovative technologies that include Quench, Zip Water, Purezza Premium Water and Culligan Zero which all share a mission to bring better water to consumers anywhere they need it - in the home, at work or on-the-go. Its product range includes under-sink filtration systems, water dispensers, multifunctional taps, bottle-free coolers, and water softening systems. For more information, visit www.culliganinternational.com or follow @HeyCulligan.

HydraPak

HydraPak® is the leading original equipment manufacturer of soft flasks, reservoirs, and water storage solutions globally. Founded in Northern California, the company is dedicated to producing flexible and durable hydration products tailored for recreational, athletic, and military use. HydraPak and its proprietary brand, Bottle Bright® cleaning tablets, are category leaders. Over the past 20 years, HydraPak has not only pioneered new product categories, but has also become a trusted partner for hundreds of renowned global brands and athletes. HydraPak created tutorials on how to move quickly through the refill stations which can be found on HydraPak.com or YouTube.

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Reporters May Contact:
Alex Sawyer, Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Phone: 1.312.992.6618
[email protected]

Diane Wagner, Bank of America
Phone: 1.312.992.2370
[email protected]