On Race Day, Louisville Runs on Pure Tap®

Louisville Water stop during 2025 Mini & MARATHON

Before the first runner hits the pavement in the Kentucky Derby Festival mini & MARATHON Saturday, Louisville Water teams are hard at work making sure every hydration station delivers safe, high‑quality Louisville Pure Tap®.

Louisville Water has 17 water stops along the courses, which take runners through downtown Louisville, Central Park, Churchill Downs, and Iroquois Park. One of the stops is set up in front of our company headquarters on Third Street, where dozens of Louisville Water volunteers will help keep runners hydrated one cup at a time. Pure Tap is also available at the finish line at Witherspoon and Preston Streets.

Fuel up with Louisville Water on race day at these water stops:

  • Main & 13th (Shippingport Brewery)
  • 18th & Muhammad Ali
  • Broadway – 9th & 10th (L&N Building)
  • 4th & Kentucky St (Memorial Park)
  • 4th & Industry
  • 3rd & Central Ave (across from Central Station)
  • Iroquois Park Rd & Iroquois Pkwy
  • Iroquois Amphitheater Rundill Rd
  • Southern Pkwy & Lone Oak Ave
  • Southern Pkwy & Southern Heights
  • 3rd & Heywood (Holy Name Church)
  • 3rd & Eastern Pkwy (University Circle)
  • 3rd & Kentucky (Kentucky Derby Festival)
  • 3rd & Chestnut (Louisville Water Company)
  • Slugger Field
  • River Rd & Witherspoon
  • Marathon turn around on River Rd

Crews check water stops

Behind the scenes, Louisville Water Plumber Leader Chris Meeks and Plumber Leader’s Assistant Lance Raley worked for weeks to plan and test the water pressure at each stop.

“Almost two months ago, we met with KDF to make sure we’re in sync with where all the stops are going to happen and what they need,” Raley said.

From the crews in the field to the scientists in the lab, the Louisville Water team is making sure only high-quality Pure Tap is served at water stops. Ahead of race day, Louisville Water crews flush the lines at each location and sanitize the equipment used to serve the water.

“We have to go around the day before and flush each stop, especially ones that don’t get used very often,” Meeks explained.

Next, water quality specialists run field tests, looking at the turbidity (cloudiness factor) and chlorine levels before taking samples back to Louisville Water’s EPA-certified lab for scientists to analyze.

The work does not stop there. Meeks, Raley and the rest of their team will go from stop to stop to set up every hydration station before volunteers arrive Saturday morning.

Louisville Water truck next to water stop flushing

“We’ll be coming in at 3:00 a.m.,” Meeks said.

“We set them up and tear them down,” Raley added.

It’s a long day but one that both Louisville Water veterans say is well worth it.

“I’m proud of the company and the work we do. We want them (the runners) to have Pure Tap instead of a bottle,” Meeks said.

Raley agreed.

“Some of the runners will see us, and they’ll thank us. It makes you feel pretty good that you’re out here supplying them with good, fresh drinking water and that they’re appreciative of the job we’re doing,” he said.

We expect to serve about 14,000 gallons of Pure Tap on Saturday. If you’re running the Kentucky Derby Festival 5K on Friday, we have you covered with water stops there too.

Pure Tap pro-tip: drink water before you’re thirsty. If you’re thirsty, your body is already dehydrated.

2025 Mini & MARATHON