Resolution - IMPORTANCE OF MUNICIPAL WATER

Resolution No. 90 - IMPORTANCE OF MUNICIPAL WATER
Submitted By:
The Honorable Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco
The Honorable Ross 'Rocky' Anderson, Mayor of Salt Lake City
The Honorable R.T. Rybak, Mayor of Minneapolis
IMPORTANCE OF MUNICIPAL WATER
1. WHEREAS, the United States’ municipal water systems are among the finest in the world; and
2. WHEREAS, high quality, safe drinking water is already available at most public locations; and

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

4. WHEREAS, local governments invest approximately $43 billion a year for pure drinking water and treating wastewater; and

5. WHEREAS, US consumers spend more than $11 billion a year on bottled water; and

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

7. WHEREAS, more than a quarter of bottled water is sourced from municipal tap water; and

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

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

10. WHEREAS, in the U.S. the plastic bottles produced for water require 1.5 million barrels of oil per year, enough to 250 generate electricity for 250,000 homes or fuel 100,000 cars for a year; and

11. WHEREAS, we applaud The US Conference of Mayors for its 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

12. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The US Conference of Mayors conduct a detailed study of the importance of municipal water and the impact of bottled water on municipal waste.
Project cost: unknown
Source http://www.usmayors.org/75thAnnualMeeting/ProposedResolutions.pdf