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We're making bottled water a museum piece
Mark Prigg, Science Correspondent12 Mar 2008
London's biggest museums and galleries today backed the Evening Standard's Water On Tap campaign.
They join hundreds of restaurants, cafés and clubs in providing customers with free tap water without prejudice.
The campaign aims to end the practice of offering expensive and environmentally damaging bottled water without mentioning it is available on tap.
Diners and drinkers often feel stigmatised by asking for tap water.
The Natural History Museum has installed a number of fountains to give visitors tap water.
"We hope to inspire our visitors about the natural world and our responsible use of it," said Louise Emerson, head of business and commercial strategy at the museum. At the Science Museum, Victoria Grossmith, head of events and catering, said: "We are delighted to support the Standard's campaign.
"Tap water is available at all our permanent outlets - we know it is delicious, perfectly drinkable and very healthy. People can still buy bottled water if they wish at all our outlets and our store but we don't feel the need to force people to do so."
Sally White, who runs the Design Museum café, said she backed the campaign, adding:"We are pleased to offer customers London's finest tap water and in the summer iced jugs of it are placed on tables."
Tate Modern and Tate Britain said they offer tap water at all their galleries.
It is also available in the café at the Victoria & Albert Museum, with water fountains installed and jugs put on the service counter for visitors to help themselves from.
Anne Hynes, commercial manager of the Southbank Centre, said it offered visitors the choice of tap or bottled. "At all the bars in the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Hayward Gallery, jugs of water are made available for people to help themselves," she added.
The campaign has won the backing of the Ecologist Magazine, founded by Zac Goldsmith.
Editor Pat Thomas said: "How ridiculous to live in a world where we believe we don't have any water to drink unless it comes in a plastic bottle.
"For a whole host of environmental, aesthetic, cultural and moral reasons, I would like to see the bottled water market come crashing to its knees. The Water On Tap campaign is a big step in the right direction."
