Communities, restaurants ban the bottle

In a collective effort to reduce the negative impact of bottled water, Cambridge, Somerville, and a handful of local restaurants have joined Boston in pledging to switch to tap water for their public drinking supplies. Concerned by the cost, waste, and safety of bottled water, they hope others will follow their lead.

"Bottled water is bad for taxpayers, it's bad for our environment, and it's bad for our public water systems," said Annie Sanders of Corporate Accountability International, a Boston nonprofit group running a national campaign called "Think Outside the Bottle" aimed at persuading cities and restaurants to cancel their bottled water contracts and switch exclusively to public water supplies.

"In reality," Sanders added, "tap water is better for you because it's more highly regulated and most bottled water is tap water anyway."

So far in Massachusetts, three high-profile municipalities have joined the cause. Cambridge canceled its bottled-water contract in January. Boston, which has said it will curtail and possibly eliminate its use of bottled water, is currently auditing its bottled-water usage in municipal facilities. Somerville promised this week to eventually cancel its bottled water contracts, although it first must install the necessary plumbing to make water fountains available in city buildings.

They were joined by a half-dozen Boston-area restaurant: Small Plates in Cambridge, Bella Luna Restaurant/Milky Way Lounge in Jamaica Plain, and Herrell's Ice Cream, T.J. Scallywaggles, Grasshopper, and the Other Side Café in Allston.

But while some restaurants call the move to eliminate bottled water an environmental no-brainer, others say the decision is complicated by an important market reality: Many customers regard tap water with distaste.

"Being in the hospitality industry, it's important for us and the success of our business to provide our guests with what they're asking for, and many people drink exclusively bottled or sparking water," said Leo Fonseca, general manager of Stephanie's on Newbury, which offers still and sparkling water -- in glass bottles, not plastic -- in addition to tap.

"When people are spending money on fine food and fine wine, their perception is that their water is not going to be as good if they don't drink it out of the bottle," he added. "There is just this negative perception of not just Boston city water, but tap water in general."
(By Sacha Pfeiffer, Globe staff)