Tap Water Making a Comeback As Bottled Water Sparks Economic/Environmental Concerns

One of the more popular stops at the University of Redlands food court these days is the dispenser for filtered tap water -- free for customers with a reusable cup or bottle.

Those who forget their container can borrow one from the cafeteria, or buy a Nalgene sports bottle there for a discount.

"It's important that there's an option that maybe steers more people away from the bottled water," said Brett Martin, who runs the college's food service program.

His company, Bon Appetit Management Co., is among a growing number of restaurants, schools and cities promoting tap water over bottled, or eliminating it altogether, because of economic and environmental concerns.

More than 30 U.S. cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, now prohibit spending public money on bottled water, as does the Berkeley school district. And eco-minded groups have launched Internet-based campaigns dubbed Think Outside the Bottle and Tappening.

Despite such efforts, bottled water still sells, said Tom Lauria, vice president of the International Bottled Water Association, which sets quality standards for 280 bottlers. Consumers concerned about health and convenience drive the demand, he said.

Americans consumed 8.8 billion gallons of bottled water last year -- 29 gallons per person, or the equivalent of about 185 20-ounce bottles -- more than double the amount from a decade before, according to the Beverage Marketing Corp.

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