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Ken says: Don't bottle it - ask waiter for tap water
Mark Prigg, Science Correspondent19.02.08
Thames Water and the Mayor of London are to launch a campaign today to promote tap water in restaurants, cafÈs and pubs.
The London on Tap scheme urges people to use less bottled water. It also plans a competition to design a recycled glass water carafe which can be used in restaurants across the capital.
"The message is very simple: don't be embarrassed to ask for tap water when you eat out," said Mayor Ken Livingstone. "You will save money and help save the planet. By drinking less bottled water, we can cut the climate change emissions coming from its production and transportation, and cut the problem of disposing of used bottles."
A Panorama programme last night claimed government departments spent £1.3 million on bottled water last year, with councils across England and Wales spending £4.8 million. Experts analysed the carbon footprint of a glass of water, finding London tap water used 0.3g of CO2, while Volvic used 185g and Evian 172g.
However, a recent National Consumer Council study found one in five people are "slightly nervous" or "too scared to ask" for tap water.
The centrepiece of the campaign will be a competition to design a carafe made from recycled glass to serve tap water to customers.
"The idea of the carafes is to help Londoners take a stand against one of the biggest con jobs of the last two decades," said Jenny Jones, Green Party member for the London Assembly. "This is a simple, money-saving way to brush up your eco-credentials."
Thames Water chief executive David Owens, said: "Luckily in London we have probably the best drinking water in the world. We should all be proud to drink it. At less than a tenth of a penny a litre, it's up to 500 times cheaper than bottled water."
The scheme was also backed by Environment Minister Phil Woolas. "I believe there is no place for snobbery about tap water, and no excuse for making people feel small if they ask for it. If this move by Thames Water and the Mayor of London gives people confidence to ask for what they want in restaurants that has to be a good thing."
Environmentalists also welcomed the campaign.
"Shipping water around in bottles, sometimes over thousands of miles, is mad from an environmental point of view," said Friends of the Earth executive director Tony Juniper.
Reader views (12)
I was in Park city Utah and came across a bottled water supposedly the purest found in a collapsible plastic pouch I was so impressed I have just imported a 40ft container full to sell here in England
- Stephen Swainbank, Liverpool England
If any tap water lovers lived where I do, in South East London, Lewisham to be exact, they wouldn't dream of drinking tap water.
The filthy mess that comes out of our taps contains a chalky white substance, which firs up the kettle and the taps, as well as thick blobs of slimy black stuff.
I am sure the water in the canal is cleaner than the filth we have to pay for. You want to drink it? Make sure you write your will out first!
- Peter Thurgood, London, UK
The water in London tastes awful and that is the only reason I use bottled water for drinking. When I'm back home in Manchester I use tap water. I don't think we can say London has the best drinking water in the world!
- Pa, London
I lived in London for four years and I have to say that what deterred me from drinking tap water was the taste. So I never ask for tap water with a restaurant meal in London. I was in a pub Covent Garden in November and following the National Consumer Council's report, I asked for a glass of tap water. It left a distinct and unpleasant aftertaste. If restaurants could provide filtered tap water I'd be willing to pay a service charge for that. There are water coolers that take tap water directly from the mains and filter and chill it so that it tastes much nicer, without the environmental impact of bottling and shipping water from overseas. It would be good to see more London restaurants investing in these as part of Ken Livingstone's drive to reduce Londoners' carbon footprint.
- Josie Pearson, Aldershot UK
This is a great idea. Ken Livingstone gets it right again.
- Mick, London, England
Ask for tap water in a restaurant and if they say "we do not do tap water" just point out that it is illegal for a restaurant not to have potable running water on tap and that they may be reported to Environmental Health.
- Ron Oliver, Edinburgh Scotland
All very well but Giles Coren has been pushing this for ages and the one problem he seems to come up with time and time again is that restaurants simply will not provide tap water as they can charge through the nose for bottled.
- Del Eau, Mayfair
Yes it's cheap. And it tastes of chlorine.
- Jimbob, Kensington
Perhaps we should bring in a water tax, think of all the revenue the govt could make!
- Brian, Wiltshire
Probably the best drinking water in the world in London? England still has quite a lot of Legionnaires' Disease compared to other European countries. Partly due to bad / dated water pipes ...
- Jakob, London
It's clearly bonkers to ship water from places like Fiji to London where perfectly drinkable water is available on tap. It's all vanity and snobbery and its about time it stopped. Perhaps we should give the money we spend on bottled designer water to charities fighting to bring drinking water to communities in Africa and elsewhere - £2 billion would help a lot of people. Stamp out ridiculous bottled water now!
- Colin, London
What utter nonsense. Not content with trying to dictate what cars we drive, Ken now wants to control what we drink. Next it will be environmentally-friendly food and clothing.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
