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Groups ask NYC eateries to stop bottled water sales

NEW YORK Food & Water Watch, a Washington, D.C.-based environmental advocacy group, and Riverkeeper, an organization that seeks to protect New York waterways, have teamed up to press New York City restaurateurs to stop selling bottled water.

The two watchdog groups on Tuesday kicked off the campaign at Gemma restaurant in Manhattan, where owner Sean MacPherson and general manager Eric Rosenfeld said they would serve tap and filtered water only.

The push in New York is part of a nationwide effort by Food & Water Watch called “Take Back the Tap.” The group said it opposes the sale of bottled water in part because the empty containers end up in landfills. Advocates have also objected to the environmental impact of trucking cases of bottled water.

Restaurateurs that have resisted the urgings of bottled water opponents say they’re merely giving customers what they want. Bottled water can also be a highly profitable component of their beverage mix.

Gemma’s Rosenfeld said he didn’t expect revenues to be affected by his restaurant’s exclusive use of tap and purified water. 

“It was a quick decision to not buy and sell bottled water, which in the big picture is a small and easy step in helping the environment,” he said. “The margin on water versus the amount of good you can do for the environment is a small enough difference that everyone can make.”

Other New York operators that have pledged not to sell bottled water include Il Buco, Bobo, Pure Food & Wine, GustOrganics, Broadway East, Del Posto, Angelica Kitchen and Bar Milano.

Food & Water Watch officials said they have set a goal of getting 1,000 local restaurateurs to forego bottled water in New York City. They also said they would urge Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to ban the sale of bottled water at official city government buildings.

In San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom was responsible for banning the sale of bottled water at his city’s government buildings last year. The mayor has also called on local restaurants to discontinue the sale of bottled water.

Food & Water Watch has been active in San Francisco in encouraging restaurants there to serve only tap and purified water.

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