Multnomah County has banned the purchase of bottled water with county funds, making it the first county in Oregon to do so. The Board of Commissioners unanimously passed the resolution at the board meeting on October 14.
The commissioners passed the ban after hearing speakers detail the fiscal, environmental and social costs of using bottled water and laud the quality of Multnomah County’s tap water.
Tap water costs just $0.0035 per gallon in Multnomah County, a fraction of the price of bottled water, which costs anywhere from $0.89 to $8.26 per gallon. The county expects to save approximately $22,000 a year by switching to tap water.
County officials also hope to save energy by shunning bottled water, which uses up to 2,000 times more energy in production and transport than tap water. Enacting the ban on bottled water purchases will help the county honor the Climate Action Plan adopted in 2009, which commits to the county to reduce both its consumption of fossil fuels and the production of unnecessary waste.
“We are saying ‘no’ to the expense, waste and pollution that come with bottled water, and embracing tap water, a sustainable choice,” said Commissioner Willer, who sponsored the proposal. “By eliminating county funds for bottled water, we are sending a message to the community that we support continued public access to clean, safe water.”
Speakers at the board meeting also raised concerns about the safety of bottled water, which is subject to less regulation than tap water. In Multnomah County, tap water is tested approximately 300 times a month, while bottled water is typically tested just four to five times a month.
The passage of the resolution places Multnomah County among a growing number of governments that prohibit the spending of public funds on bottled water, including the cities of Seattle, San Francisco and Vancouver, WA.