Yahoo News 18 Sep 08;
Sweden's second city Gothenburg has decided to stop buying bottled water due to environmental concerns and will only provide civil servants with tap water, a city councillor said Thursday.
"From October 1 city employees such as politicians and teachers will only be offered tap water in the workplace," city councillor Max Reijer told AFP.
In 2007, the city -- home to Swedish industrial groups Volvo and SKF, camera maker Hasselblad and Scandinavia's biggest university -- purchased 39,000 liters (10,303 gallons) of bottled water for its public workers.
"Bottled water is transported long distances and therefore causes environmental problems. The alternative is tap water, which in Gothenburg is of the highest quality," according to a proposal presented to the council.
"By no longer buying bottled water, the city of Gothenburg is also using taxpayers' money more efficiently since tap water is much cheaper."
Patrons in establishments run by the city of nearly 500,000 people -- such as restaurants and nursing homes -- would still be able to request bottled water.
