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Seattle Becomes Latest City to Ban Bottled Water
by
findingDulcinea Staff
Seattle joins a growing list of cities that either discourage or ban the use of city funds to buy bottled water. Is bottled water on its way out?
30-Second Summary
In an effort to reduce the city’s environmental impact and cut costs, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced Thursday that the city will no longer buy bottled water.
“It’s a pretty clear choice that using city water is a much better choice,” said Mayor Nickels’ spokesman, adding that Seattle has one of the best municipal water supplies in the country.
Over the past few years, the city governments of San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago have all placed bans or restrictions on using public money to buy bottled water, and others cities and individuals have begun to weigh the financial and health benefits of bottled water versus regular tap water.
An Associated Press investigation earlier this year raised concerns about the cleanliness of the nation’s tap water supply when it found tiny quantities of an array of pharmaceuticals—including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones—in the drinking water supplies of at least 24 major cities.
Many others are joining the backlash against bottled water out of concern for both the environment and individual pocketbooks. Fast Company magazine calls the $15 billion a year bottled water industry a sign of our “culture of indulgence.”
And despite the AP’s recent tap water findings, research does not show that bottled water is safer or “more natural” than municipal tap water. In fact, the San Francisco Public Utility Commission notes that FDA standards for bottled water are similar to EPA standards for tap water.
“It’s a pretty clear choice that using city water is a much better choice,” said Mayor Nickels’ spokesman, adding that Seattle has one of the best municipal water supplies in the country.
Over the past few years, the city governments of San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago have all placed bans or restrictions on using public money to buy bottled water, and others cities and individuals have begun to weigh the financial and health benefits of bottled water versus regular tap water.
An Associated Press investigation earlier this year raised concerns about the cleanliness of the nation’s tap water supply when it found tiny quantities of an array of pharmaceuticals—including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones—in the drinking water supplies of at least 24 major cities.
Many others are joining the backlash against bottled water out of concern for both the environment and individual pocketbooks. Fast Company magazine calls the $15 billion a year bottled water industry a sign of our “culture of indulgence.”
And despite the AP’s recent tap water findings, research does not show that bottled water is safer or “more natural” than municipal tap water. In fact, the San Francisco Public Utility Commission notes that FDA standards for bottled water are similar to EPA standards for tap water.
Headline Link: 'City of Seattle Won’t Buy Bottled Water'
The city of Seattle will no longer buy bottled water in order to cut down on waste, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced Thursday. In doing so, the city could save up to $58,000 a year. The mayor’s spokesman added that Seattle has one of the best municipal water supplies in the country, and that in terms of financial and environmental costs, “It’s a pretty clear choice that using city water is a much better choice.”
Source: The Seattle Times
Background: San Francisco, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who first banned plastic bags, has now banned the city from using its funds to purchase single-serving bottled water. “Our water is arguably cleaner than a vast majority of the bottled water sold as ‘pure,’” Newsom told Newsweek.
Source: Newsweek
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley endorsed adding a 10 cent tax to each bottle of water last year. USA Today reports that mayors in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City have also banned or asked city employees not to use city funds for bottled water. Santa Barbara, Calif., has also stopped buying bottled water for city functions.
Source: USA Today
Related Topics: Prescription drugs found in drinking water across America
An Associated Press investigation earlier this year found tiny quantities of an array of pharmaceuticals in the drinking water supplies of at least 24 major metropolitan areas. Antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones were among the contaminants present, stoking fears about long-term consequences to human health. Experts say that bottle water consumers may not be safe from contaminants, as some bottlers repackage tap water and do not usually treat for pharmaceuticals.
Source: CNN
Americans are increasingly thirsty for high-priced bottled water, but the nation has one of the best public water supplies in the world. Americans need to think about how consuming 4 billion gallons of bottled water each year is affecting the planet, said The New York Times in an editorial last year. “Almost all municipal water in America is so good that nobody needs to import a single bottle from Italy or France or the Fiji Islands.”
Source: The New York Times (registration may be required)
Fast Company delves into the economics and psychology behind the bottled water business, and examines what the $15 billion a year industry says about “our culture of indulgence.”
Source: Fast Company
Bottled water doesn’t necessarily come from pristine springs and other natural sources. “Most people are surprised to learn that they’re drinking glorified tap water, but bottlers aren’t required to list the source on the label,” reports Reader’s Digest, which lists chemicals, contaminants, pollution and price as reasons to rethink bottled water purchases.
Source: Reader’s Digest
Reference: Making a healthy choice
Research does not show that bottled water is safer or “more natural” than municipal tap water, and both types of water in the United States are safe, according to the San Francisco Public Utility Commission, which notes that FDA standards for bottled water are similar to EPA standards for tap water. A fact sheet, available online as a PDF, compares and examines the safety, costs and benefits of bottled water and tap water.
Source: San Francisco Department of Public Health
The International Bottled Water Association Web site includes facts about bottled water regulation and industry standards.
Source: International Bottled Water Association
At least 1.5 million barrels of oil are used each year to create the 28 billion plastic water bottles purchased by consumers in the United States, and at least 86 percent of those bottles end up in landfills and incinerators, according to the Center for American Progress. The Center advises people to “ditch the water bottle” in order to keep millions of tons of plastic waste out of landfills and reduce the more than one billion tons of carbon dioxide emitted during the bottled water production process each year.
Source: Center for American Progress
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