19th February 2008
Serve tap water, businesses urged
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) is urging cafes, bars and restaurants to serve their customers tap water as a matter of course.
The non-departmental public body, which represents England and Wales, maintains that tap water is safe, stringently tested and of world-class quality.
At a cost of one penny for around 50 glasses, tap water is also widely seen by campaigners as a green choice for businesses.
Yet bottled water is a booming industry. More than two billion litres fly off shop shelves annually and sales are growing at nearly 9% a year - one of the highest growth rates in retail.
Britons on average consume 37 litres of bottled water a year, with the global industry generating revenues of £58bn.
"Asking for tap water should be no different to asking for sugar, salt or pepper," said Dame Yve Buckland, CCW national chair.
"The bottled water industry spends millions investing in their brands... but there is no health advantage," she added.
A spokesperson for the British Water Cooler Association said: "Employers who choose to install coolers are fulfilling their legal obligation to supply water at work – a choice often dictated by the lack of access to mains water facilities on the premises."
"Bottled water coolers use reusable and recyclable bottles, often sourced and delivered from local suppliers. None end up in landfill," he continued.
London mayor Ken Livingstone today joined the debate, which was the subject of a BBC Panorama programme last night. At his weekly news conference, he called on the public to ask for tap water to help the environment.
The non-departmental public body, which represents England and Wales, maintains that tap water is safe, stringently tested and of world-class quality.
At a cost of one penny for around 50 glasses, tap water is also widely seen by campaigners as a green choice for businesses.
Yet bottled water is a booming industry. More than two billion litres fly off shop shelves annually and sales are growing at nearly 9% a year - one of the highest growth rates in retail.
Britons on average consume 37 litres of bottled water a year, with the global industry generating revenues of £58bn.
"Asking for tap water should be no different to asking for sugar, salt or pepper," said Dame Yve Buckland, CCW national chair.
"The bottled water industry spends millions investing in their brands... but there is no health advantage," she added.
A spokesperson for the British Water Cooler Association said: "Employers who choose to install coolers are fulfilling their legal obligation to supply water at work – a choice often dictated by the lack of access to mains water facilities on the premises."
"Bottled water coolers use reusable and recyclable bottles, often sourced and delivered from local suppliers. None end up in landfill," he continued.
London mayor Ken Livingstone today joined the debate, which was the subject of a BBC Panorama programme last night. At his weekly news conference, he called on the public to ask for tap water to help the environment.
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