SF Mayor prohibits city departments from using bottled water

Friday, June 22, 2007
(06-22) 18:39 PDT San Francisco (AP) --

Citing environmental concerns, Mayor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order prohibiting city departments from buying bottled water.

In a decision announced Thursday, Newsom said the ban will go into effect July 1 and extend to all city and county water coolers by December 1.

Tony Winnicker, spokesman for the San Francisco public utilities commission, said Newsom's decision will save tax payer money and combat global warming.

More than 40 million gallons of oil are needed to make the plastic water bottles Americans purchase each year, according to data cited in the mayor's announcement.

The press release also cites the environmental impact of transporting and disposing of the bottles, more than a billion of which end up in the state's landfills each year, according to the press release.

In addition, the mayor argues that municipal water is often better than bottled water.

When the ban goes into effect, city and county offices will dispense municipal tap water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.

Winnicker said exceptions will be made in cases where potable water is not easily available or poses health concerns.

The mayor's bottled water ban is required of city and county offices unless changed by the next administration, said Joe Arellano, Newsom's spokesman.

"We're hoping to set the example for the private sector and other cities in getting off the bottle," said Winnicker.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/22/state/n183949D84.DTL