Earlier this week, The US Conference of Mayors voted to stop spending municipal funds on bottled water. An analysis found that bottled water costs up 4000 times more than tap water despite the fact it comes from the same source 40% of the time. Compounding the cost of bottled water is the estimated 70 million dollars a year cities spend on disposing used bottles.
Not everyone is happy about this decision, Kevin Keane, a senior vice president of the American Beverage Association was quoted by Reuters as saying "It’s disappointing that some mayors find it more important to spend their time attacking a healthy beverage at a time when families are suffering from floods, rising food and fuel costs and threats to their homes and jobs".
Considering the enormity of the other problems cited by Mr. Keane, it seems reasonable to prudent that 1,100 mayors collectively decided to do something manageable and not pay for bottled water as they simultaneously pay to run municipal water works.
Perhaps the mayors had all purchased the recently released Bottlemania, to read on the plane as they traveled to the conference. Shortly before the book’s release Author Elizabeth Royte penned an Op-Ed for the NY Times extolling the virtues of public fountains. Ms. Royte even mentioned Portland’s lovely cast water bubblers – but as pretty as they are after watching enough dogs and less than healthy looking people drink from them, I am not sure I want to.
The backlash against bottled waters is on. Even self-bottled water - Nalgene bottles are no longer being clutched in clammy fingers of neohippies. As Polycarbonate has been linked to cancer. Besides affecting day-hikers and batik wearers – the material sometimes used to make baby bottles. Worse still for bottled water; its biggest and earliest proponent - celebrities - have begun to shun the Evian. Look for Liquid IVs, complete with Juicy Couture IV bags to take Hollywood by storm later this year. Even with bad press and bad news - the bottling industry will sell US residents a projected 9.4 million gallons of water in 2008, an increase of 6.7% over 2008.
But not is all well for the tap - Trace amounts of drugs than are not removed by osmosis, chlorination or filtration are conveyed by tap water. A study of Washington DC water found trace amounts of 6 kinds of drugs as well as caffeine. National tests routinely turn up synthetic birth control in water supplies – similar tests of the New York water supply found trace amounts of heart medications and tranquilizers, while San Francisco water contained a sex hormone – Just on the basis of that, San Francisco sounds like a less stressful more fun place to drink water or visit or whatever.
Thirsty? I thought so.
Next week, two new saucyposts both designed to make the reader hungry rather than ook them out - including a special feature on the bratwurst in time for holiday grilling.
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