SUPPORTING MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEMS

WHEREAS, the United States' municipal water systems are among the finest in the world; and

WHEREAS, high quality, safe drinking water is already available at most public locations; and

WHEREAS, mayors are responsible for delivering safe and affordable water to our citizens; and

WHEREAS, bottled water is regulated by the FDA and municipal tap water is regulated by the EPA and has more stringent requirements for testing; and

WHEREAS, local governments invest approximately $82 billion a year to provide water and sewer services; and

WHEREAS, bottled water often costs more than an equivalent volume of gasoline, equivalent to 1,000 to 10,000 times more than tap water; and

WHEREAS, up to 40% of bottled water on the market comes from municipal water systems and the bottled water industry generated$15 billion in revenues in 2006 from U.S. consumers; and

WHEREAS, bottled water often travels many miles from the source, resulting in the burning of massive amounts of fossil fuels, releasing CO2 and other pollution into the atmosphere; and

WHEREAS, plastic water bottles are one of the fastest growing sources of municipal waste; and

WHEREAS, in the U.S. the production of plastic bottles for bottled water currently requires the energy equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil per year – enough to generate fuel for over a million cars for a year – and generates more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide; and

WHEREAS, the National City Water Taste Test, which recognizes all of the great work municipal water systems do for its residents on a daily basis, year after year; and

WHEREAS, The US Conference of Mayors, per Resolution #90 adopted in June 2007, has compiled much information regarding the importance of municipal water and the impact of bottled water on municipal waste; and

WHEREAS, the evidence suggests that banning bottled water from government use highlights the importance of municipal water and decreases the impact of bottled water on municipal waste; and

WHEREAS, The Conference of Mayors recognizes the importance of bottled water in times of emergency and times when municipal water is unavailable,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The US Conference of Mayors encourages cities to phase out, where feasible, government use of bottled water and promote the importance of municipal water.