Banning bottled water: For the environment or to support city system?
Here’s the summary of a story we’re preparing for Wednesday’s Post-Dispatch:
“Joining a national trend, some St. Louis restaurants will announce Wednesday that they plan to cancel bottled water contracts because of environmental concerns, and to restore confidence in public water systems. At Schlafly on Wednesday, they’ll hold a ‘water tasting,’ pitting tap water against bottled brands.”
You may recall that last June, the U.S. Conference of Mayors voted St. Louis’ water the best tasting in a taste-test at the organization’s conference. We talked a little about tap water then, and several of you said you preferred tap water over bottled.
But let’s approach this question a little differently. The restaurateurs are saying taste and support of the public water system is important. Is that more or less important than the other issue they raised: the environmental concerns about bottled water?
Are there environmental concerns? Are they worth considering? Is “green dining” important to you?
And as for the national trend referenced earlier, here’s some links to other related stories:
SFGate.com: Restaurants urged to eschew bottles in favor of tap water
MyNorthwest.com: Seattle Restaurants Embrace Tap Water
Boston.com: Tapping into greener dining, eateries table bottled water
Kurt is the director of social media for the Post-Dispatch, where he has worked since August 2002. He's been a journalist since 1982, covering municipal government, courts, education and two hurricanes as a reporter before becoming an editor. 
I think that’s wonderful! Already restaurants try to pawn their “bottled” water to profit from the water drinkers who want a free drink and do not desire to pay $2.00 for a soda. Some restaurants–fast food–currently charge for tap water–or the cup, as they say it is for inventory purposes.
Sorry, I will continue to buy bottled water, I don’t like the idea of chemicals, pharmacueticals, etc in my water. If one would READ the annual water quality reports, you will find there are ‘acceptable’ amounts of most anything allowed in the water. If we’d stop urban sprawl we would help with the wateshed pollution, and pollution in general.. but again in our make money society that just doesn’t seem to be a concern.
I’ve always considered bottled water a joke. True, it might (and that’s a big “might”) be sterilized better than your tap water source. That would appeal to the omigodecoli worry-warts. But eliminating all chemical contaminants? I’m sorry. Where do you think bottled water comes from? The same sources that your tap water comes from basically. If there’s anything chemically unpleasant in the water table, no amount of boiling or filtering or whatever is going to eliminate it. Of course, there is a time and place for anything. I’m reminded of a trip I was on out West where our tour guide strongly recommended we only consume bottled beverages….that we should avoid any beverage made from the local water. It wasn’t a biological contaminant but a very heavy mineral content. That can’t be boiled out or treated. The locals could drink the water because their bodies were used to it. But we poor tourists could have a galloping case of the trots from drinking it.
I’m glad the mayor is finally paying attention to this, the most important issue to ever present itself to mankind in the history of the world, instead of focusing on the city’s finances, infrastructure, crime, and other non-issues.
“If one would READ the annual water quality reports, you will find there are ‘acceptable’ amounts of most anything allowed in the water.”
Mark if your into READING then you need to check out the IBWA site and find out how many chemicals are allowed in your bottled water, I have and guess what, its the same chemicals in the same amount thats allowed in your tap water….Did ya get that?
Your bottled water IS ALLOWED to have all the same chemicals as tap water..hmmmmm
And about pharmaceuticals…
Well unless you take your bottled water to be tested you WILL NEVER KNOW if they are in your bottled water. They are not tested for, so they could very easily be present. Spring water comes from many sources but they all start at the surface and work there way down, anyting present on the surface and on the way down can and does end up in the “spring” water. (side note..spring water is nothing more then WELL water that comes to the surface on its own..)
Its sad that so many people think bottled water is “safe” its NOT do the research!
Jay,
You’re right about spring water, but the two biggies (Aquafina and Dasani) use reverse osmosis to treat tap water. It’s going to remove everything, for all intents and purposes, from the water. I don’t drink it personally, but it’s definitely as ‘pure’ as you’re going to get coming from a city water supply. The fact that it has the same standards applied as far as inclusions doesn’t negate the way it’s filtered to remove practically everything.
Sorry, but I’ve never understood the “hype” about bottled water. I drink from the tap…….and I sometimes wonder if those who distribute bottled water don’t “fill from the tap” as well!
When I lived in Santa Monica, I used to frequently visit areas of Mexico, just below the CA border, where I’d occasionally drink local water, and I don’t recall ever suffering from it.
If I’m going to drink from a bottle, let it be Scotch.
I drink tap water unless I’m in a foreign country. My job occasionally has me in China or Mexico, and when I’m there I only drink bottled water - I even brush my teeth with bottled water. But when I’m here in St. Louis, or another municipality with good water, I enjoy it straight from the tap. It tastes just as good, it’s free and it doesn’t fill up my trash can (and landfills) with empty bottles made from petrochemicals.
PS -
The link on the front page to ‘election results’ doesn’t work.
It points to:
http://www.stltoday.com/elections.stltoday.com/voter
This gives a 404 file not found error. It should point to:
http://elections.stltoday.com/voter/
If people are dumb enough to pay 5 or more dollars a gallon for bottled water when it’s no better tasting or freer from impurities than tap, let em. The only environmental concern I have with the bottled water craze is the enormous waste from the manufacture and disposal of the bottles.
I drink tap water unless I’m in a foreign country. My job occasionally has me in China or Mexico, and when I’m there I even brush my teeth with bottled water. But when I’m here in St. Louis, or another municipality with good water, I enjoy it straight from the tap. It tastes just as good, it’s free and it doesn’t fill up my trash can (and landfills) with empty bottles made from petrochemicals.
PS -
The link on the front page to election results doesn’t work.