Bottled Water Policy Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the new City policy on single-serve bottled water, and what does this mean to me as a City employee?
A. On June 17, 2008, San José City Council approved a policy that restricts the use of City funds to purchase single-serve bottled water. This means the City will not reimburse or provide payment for the purchase of single-serve bottled water for meetings, catered lunches, or as refreshments. This includes reimbursements to contractors or grantees working for the City.
Q. What if there are situations where drinking water is unavailable?
A. If there are no reasonable alternatives available for accessible drinking water, a waiver can be requested and must be approved by your department director or their designee. Examples where a waiver might be needed include public safety emergencies, or where drinking water is not available.
Q. What if my department is hosting a meeting with guests and refreshments are needed or the meeting is a working lunch?
A. Pitchers of tap water and reusable cups are one solution. As host, you are responsible for washing all pitchers and cups. Another suggestion would be to use a small water dispenser that can be refilled with tap water as needed. It is recommended to wash out reusable dispensers after use, or every 24 hours if used every day to keep them in good sanitary condition.
Each department is responsible for determining what solution will work best. Low cost reusable pitchers and cups, as well as outdoor cooler dispensers can be purchased at stores selling housewares (it is still City policy not to purchase from Super Kmart). Ceramic containers can be purchased at a local water store. The web is also a good source. See the sidebar for one website suggestion, and images of water dispensers. Purchases can be made using a City procurement card.
Compostable cups are another solution. All of the City’s garbage is now being further sorted for recyclable and compostable materials, such as cups that are made from plant-based ingredients. Purchasing is making arrangements for compostable foodware supplies. When information is available on making a request, this section will be updated.
Larger sized bottles of water are not a good alternative solution, because they still have the same negative environmental impacts as the smaller bottles.
Q. What if my department is hosting a large meeting event or conference?
A. Inform caterers that the City will not reimburse for single-serve bottled water, and that water should be served in pitchers along with reusable cups or glasses.
Q. I don’t care for the taste of tap water, will we have filters on the sinks at work?
A. Preferences in water taste vary by individual, and installing filters would represent an unwarranted cost for the City in terms of installation, replacement filters, and maintenance. In addition, many filtration systems waste as much water as they provide.
Water from your tap has met drinking water standards more rigorous than those for bottled water. Local water companies and agencies spend millions to provide high-quality drinking water to every home and business. If you prefer filtered water, personal-sized water filtering pitchers are available at many stores.
Q. Does this mean we can no longer have a water cooler in our break room?
A. This policy does not affect the employee-funded water clubs. However, if there is available tap water, reconsider the need for having five-gallon bottles of water trucked in. This would help to conserve fuel, and individuals wouldn’t have to pay the added cost.
Q. Does this mean I can no longer bring my own single-serve bottled water from home?
A. As City employees we can all do our part to help the environment simply by using a reusable container or cup. This cuts down on the amount of material we must dispose of or recycle, and eliminates the need to bottle and transport water in plastic water bottles, oftentimes from other countries. This simple measure saves fuel and reduces global carbon emissions. Consider discontinuing your own personal purchases of single-serve bottled water and using a reusable drink container. |
