Report Advocates Use of Tap Water (posted 7/10/07)
Choosing tap water over bottled water is better for consumers’ health, their pocketbooks, and the environment, according to a new report released June 28 by Food & Water Watch, a citizen advocacy group dedicated to stopping the corporate control of food and water.  The report, Take Back the Tap, is being released on the heals of a San Francisco executive order banning the use of city funds for bottled water and a U.S. Conference of Mayors resolution to study problems with bottled water consumption. 
 

In 2005, Americans spent $8.8 billion for almost 7.2 billion gallons of non-sparkling bottled water.  “Utilities all over the country spend millions of dollars to deliver clean, safe, affordable water right to the kitchen sink,” said Susan Leal, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager. “Relying on bottles that use lots of energy to produce and are sometimes trucked or even flown thousands of miles and ultimately become a municipal solid waste problem just makes no sense,” concluded Leal.  The report pointed out that while EPA regulates all public drinking water systems, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates only 30 to 40 percent of bottled water sold across state lines.  While EPA requires up to several hundred water tests per month by utility companies, FDA requires only one water test per week by bottling companies, the report said.  In addition, nearly 40 percent of bottled water is filtered or treated tap water, according to the report, which is available at www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/pubs/reports/take-back-the-tap.