CENTRAL OKANAGAN BECOMES THE 50TH CANADIAN MUNICIPALITY TO TAKE OUT BOTTLED WATER

For Immediate Release

OTTAWA/ June 1, 2009 – On May 28, 2009 the Central Okanagan Regional District Board became the 50th municipality (and the 33rd in 2009) to implement municipal restrictions on bottled water in Canada.

“From Toronto to Vancouver, in big cities and rural towns, municipalities are taking out bottled water and re-investing in water fountains,” says Joe Cressy, Campaigns Coordinator of the Polaris Institute.

In March 2009 the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) passed a resolution urging “all municipalities to phase out the sale and purchase of bottled water at their own facilities”.

“Bottled water is a redundant product. It is more expensive than gasoline, 2000 times more energy intensive than tap water, and not adequately regulated,” explained Tony Clarke, author of Inside the Bottle.

Bottled Water Backlash:
-50 municipalities from 8 provinces and 1 territory have restrictions on bottled water
-6 school boards have implemented restrictions on bottled water
-32 Colleges and Universities have established bottled water free zones

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List of Municipalities: The complete list of municipalities is available at www.insidethebottle.org [1]

For more information contact:
Joe Cressy, Polaris Institute, 613-668-5542, joecressy@polarisinstitute.org [2]