Posted on 05/06/2009 1:24:19 AM PDT by neverdem
Citing financial and environmental reasons, Gov. David A. Paterson signed an executive order on Tuesday directing state agencies to phase out the purchase and use of bottled water at government workplaces.
As a result, the state will gradually stop buying single-serve water bottles and larger, cooler-sized water bottles. Each executive agency will have to provide alternative sources, like fountains and dispensers for tap water.
In June 2007, San Francisco’s mayor, Gavin Newsom, prohibited spending city money on single-serving bottled water. Other jurisdictions have followed suit, according to Corporate Accountability International, an advocacy group that tries to halt what it regards as corporate abuses. In June 2008, the New York City Council stopped buying bottled water.
“Taxpayers have spent billions of dollars to ensure that we have clean drinking water supplies,” Mr. Paterson said in a prepared statement. “If we are going to make such significant investments, we should reap the benefits and use that water. Our efforts will serve as an example for local governments, businesses and residents to follow.”
The order requires the state’s Office of General Services to monitor the compliance of agencies and to identify ways to make tap water available free at food-service establishments at state facilities, instead of bottled water.
The governor’s office released a press statement, saying in part: “Bottled water is wasteful and requires large amounts of energy to bottle and transport. Over 450 million gallons of oil are used to transport water from bottling plants to stores.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Where did that stat come from?
This should keep the price of gas down, now we can make bigger cars.
I am almost convinced, that for some, life after brain death is simply upward mobility, on earth.
Seems like allot of work. I just drink from my well that’s fed from mountain water right above my property. ;>)
allot = a lot
Oh my God! They are taking down the bottled water industry! This industry employs all kinds of people, from water quality technicians to bottle making companies. With these idiot government meddlers, more people will be out of their houses; panning for money on the street corners.
Kinda of a shrug of the shoulders on this one. I find the whole War on Bottled Water rather silly. At the same time, it *is* a lot of money when it’s the taxpayer’s dollars being used and tap water is readily available. City employees who want to drink bottled water can spend their own money on it.
Of course, I realize the expenditures on bottled water by NYC probably accounts for 0.0000017% of the non-essential spending that could be cut.
Energy is used to transport all kinds of things. Who is government to say which things are important and which things are not? I could say that the transport of helium is wasteful because if is used to blow up party balloons for important politicians who want to celebrate their campaign kick off or, God forbid, their kid's birthday party. May I also include the effort to make birthday cakes, like birthday candles, frosting and that fattening sugar? How about birthday presents? Maybe I should make it a law that forbids such activity as Birthday celebrations because such celebrations cause the burning of too much fuel. Does that make sense politicians?
Six of one ...half a dozen of the other. I generally use tap water, but bottled water has its place. And we should be careful that this doesn’t get out of hand to the point that one can’t purchase bottled water to store for emergency reasons. When we had the big power outage a few years back the pumps couldn’t send clean water to parts of the city etc. due to elevation.
More recently with the ‘swine flu’ hysteria I bought a case of water for my workplace. I didn’t want to be filling my cup from the public drinking fountain in the hall. I know it gets cleaned and bleached on a daily basis, but with all the kids...?
B4 we but stuff in large plastic containers we always ask ourselves ,”can we reuse the jug”?
My heavy gauge plastic 1/2 gal juice bottles store water quite well(drop or two of bleach in each)
They say milk bottles never rinse 100% clean so dont use them.
This country has one very quiet victory for modern civilization. You can open a tap anywhere in the country and drink the water and not get sick. You may whine about the taste but it won’t make you sick. Find for me any other country in the world, of similar size, where you can do this. You probably can’t. Whenever I see someone drinking bottled water I snicker at how spoiled we can afford to be.
Some days though are better than others:
Water Treatment Supervisor Pleads Guilty for Falsifying Drinking Water Safety Reports
The Justice Department has announced that Christopher Neil Gauntt, the former supervisor of the Fort Gibson Water Treatment Plant in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Muskogee, Oklahoma to falsifying a monthly operating report that certified the safety of drinking water from the facility.
Gauntt pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with a felony count of making a false statement. He admitted that on or about June 12, 2008, he submitted a monthly operating report containing false data for drinking water that is provided to residents of Fort Gibson as well as residents of Muskogee Rural Water Districts 4 and 7, Cherokee Water drinking water systems, and the water systems for Corral Creek Subdivision and Ozark Water Inc.
Under the federal Safe Water Drinking Act, which is administered and enforced by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), as well as EPA, the Fort Gibson water treatment plant must provide drinking water that meets standards to ensure that the water is safe for human consumption. Two of the standards that must be met include turbidity and chlorine. If turbidity, the measure of clarity of drinking water, or chlorine levels are not within levels required by the Safe Drinking Water Act, there is a potential risk that the water could retain microorganisms that carry waterborne diseases.
Gauntt admitted that he recorded levels in the monthly operating report submitted to Oklahoma DEQ that indicated the turbidity and chlorine levels were in compliance with required standards when he knew in fact they were not. In August 2008, Fort Gibson had sent a notice concerning this to residents who receive their drinking water from the Fort Gibson water treatment plant. Fort Gibson did not receive any information that anyone experienced any ill effects from the drinking water during that time period.
“All citizens should be confident that they are receiving drinking water that is safe for consumption. Those who knowingly compromise the regulatory protections of the Safe Drinking Water Act will be prosecuted,” said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The prosecution in this case demonstrates that the government vigorously acts to ensure all of our citizens have good drinking water and the Safe Drinking Water Act’s requirements are being complied with.”
“Accurate information is essential for the federal government and the State of Oklahoma to assure good drinking water for the public,” said Warren Amburn, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Dallas. “Individuals who submit false reports or bogus data undermine those efforts and they will be vigorously pursued.”
“Falsifying information about the safety of the drinking water supply is dangerous,” Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson said. “Ensuring an adequate supply of safe, clean water is an important public health issue. We will continue to work with our partners at all levels of government to protect the people of this state and the water they drink.”
As a result of the felony conviction, Gauntt could be sentenced up to five years in prison and fined up to $250,000.
“Where did that stat come from?”
-
No doubt is is a sphincter extracted figure.
Yes if you're talking about what is important to private individuals. They should be free to buy bottled water, pre-digested coffee beans, whatever they desire.
But this isn't about them, its about what government agencies do with your tax money. Bottled water is a luxury if you have drinkable tap water.
Well fair enough, but that’s a rare occurrence and it looks like the penalty is going to be pretty severe. Still, apparently, no one got sick.
......Paterson signed an executive order on Tuesday directing state agencies to phase out the purchase and use of bottled water at government workplaces......
I have said that America is in recession when people quit drinking bottled water. The bottled water phenomenon is the greatest example of American excess that exists.
The Governor recognizes the truth and had decreed a return to sanity. The great water will kill you hoax is coming to an end
This is extreme hog wash.
Paterson found another way of getting money.
Paterson does not care about the energy it takes to transport and make bottled water. NY doesn't get a penny from that. Eliminate bottled water and force people to use tap water will bring more money into NY coffers because landlords are paying for the tap water. Yes, water is free, but not for the landlords.
Ah yes! and then there will be the 5 cent deposit imposed on bottled water.
This is all about getting more money, nothing about saving energy.
WTF, government employees get free bottled water at work? How many private employers provide that perk?
I am sure taxpayers are funding a mess of other unnecessary items for these government parasites.
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