Bridgeport and Easton have joined a growing number of communities and small businesses in Connecticut and other states in turning off their bottled-water spigots to save money and the environment.
Mayors in both communities announced Tuesday they will no longer spend taxpayer dollars to supply employees and the public with bottled water.
“This is a no-brainer for our city,” Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said in a statement. “Our public officials are championing investment in public water systems since these systems provide needed drinking water, create green jobs and preserve the long-term viability of our most essential shared resource. It’s a win-win equation when states stop pouring taxpayer dollars down the drain and plastic into landfills.”
Connecticut has reduced its annual spending on bottled water by more than $450,000 since 2007, according to Corporate Accountability International.
The group is promoting its Think Outside The Bottle campaign to curb botted-water sales nationally.
In March, some two dozen Connecticut merchants swore off selling bottled water in their establishments.
