Multnomah County declares bottled water taboo
So today, Multnomah County became the first county in the state to ban bottled water from all county meetings and functions. From now on, the county will serve pitchers of cool liquid from the tap and promote use of reusable metal water bottles among employees.Pitchers of water? Who will be filling and refilling those pitchers? And washing them out?
And how's their pension?
But both industry and environmental sources say bottled water uses millions of plastic bottles a year and that most go unrecycled.Really? Even with a nickel deposit on them here in Oregon? Doesn't seem likely.
Meanwhile, a Portland State professor declares that "much of the bottled water in this area comes from the Wilsonville treatment center that gets its water from the Willamette River." Now there's something I didn't know. Is it really true? At our house we drink a fair amount of Kirkland water from Costco; I assumed that it's from around Seattle somewhere, but it would be interesting to know where it actually is from.
"Buying bottled water is more expensive than buying gas," said Commissioner Barbara Willer, who introduced the resolution. "I want to educate people that our water is safe and we should be drinking it for health reasons."If it weren't for the chlorine taste, and the lead threat from the plumbing, we probably would.
In any event, the way things are going with the Portland water system, it's just a matter of time before somebody like Coca-Cola owns it, just as they do the bottled water industry. Then all our water money can be going to the same place.
| Posted at 11:43 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (12)
The Wilsonville plant supplies Coca Cola their water. While it may be amusing to some,unless we speak up to Radon Randy and other elected officials we are eventually going to be privatized and drink Willamette River water. It's already planned.
The public health ramifications are recognized as very serious. EPA chemical standards are worthless and outdated, so when PWB says we meet EPA standards with Willamette..it means very little. Bull Run water is great as it is now. No added treatment is needed...just new management.
Posted by Travis | October 15, 2010 12:05 PM
When are these guys going to have a personal crusade about something like better schools or lower taxes?
They seem to be able to accomplish a lot once they convince other members of the pod how smart their idea is.
Posted by Steve | October 15, 2010 12:12 PM
Costco water comes from the well-known mecca of natural purity that is Irvine, California. Go by streetcar! (but it might take a while)
http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/united-states-california-metro-areas/1061918-1.html
Posted by bill | October 15, 2010 12:30 PM
Whomever owns the water, owns you. Rule of Three in Survival:
You can live 3 minutes without air,
3 days without water and
3 weeks without food.
But the cynics have spoken. Feel free to move in, Coke or Pepsi. You will conquer without so much as a whimper. Except, perhaps, the too late cry: "If only someone had told me!!"
Ah, but you have been told.
Posted by Starbuck | October 15, 2010 1:28 PM
I have always found it interesting that bottled water sold by Coca Cola is actually more expensive than Coca Cola.
Posted by none | October 15, 2010 2:04 PM
Plus you get to drink the same Willamette River water the genetically deformed fish live in. Thanks Coca Cola.
Posted by Dean | October 15, 2010 2:14 PM
The only thing that matters from the standpoint of the proponents is that the county is "the first in the nation" to do this. Being a commissioner is pretty boring so it's fun to go to annual conferences of county commissioners and brag about a "first", regardless of how inane it is.
I will definitely be bringing a couple of water bottles with me next time I go to a county meeting. Just wondering if they'll kick me out of the building or arrest me for possession?
Posted by John A. Charles Jr. | October 15, 2010 6:05 PM
Good to see they are once again moving the deck furniture on the Titanic in Multnomah County.
Posted by pchuck | October 15, 2010 7:49 PM
I seem to remember when the CoP was bottling in plastic bottles under the Bull Run label. But I am sure history has been rewritten.
Posted by LucsAdvo | October 15, 2010 8:00 PM
Now if they could just ban the condo developers and streetcar mafia from all county meetings and functions.
Maybe the city could ban them too?
Posted by Mister Tee | October 16, 2010 8:54 AM
In all seriousness--does this ban include the big water coolers? My husband's office has those (the employees chip in to pay for them).
Posted by Michelle | October 16, 2010 9:00 AM
They are banning the bottled water from all county meetings and functions - they aren't going after bottled water at non-county places (yet).
I'm actually a big fan of tap water because you've already paid for it and for the most part, water in the US taste good.
On the other hand, this is classic Multnomah County/Portland "look at me" nanny-state style-over-substance legislation.
Posted by pchuck | October 16, 2010 9:12 AM