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Bundanoon to launch bottle ban

25 Sep, 2009 12:04 PM
BUNDANOON businesses are clearing commercially bottled still water from their shelves as the village prepares to launch its Bundy-On-Tap campaign.

From tomorrow, Bundanoon will become the first town in Australia, and possibly the world, to go bottled water free.

Instead of commercially bottled water, businesses will offer thirsty customers reusable Bundy-On-Tap water bottles that can be filled with free chilled, filtered water from the shops or from four hi-tech water stations in the main street.

School children can fill up their bottles free of charge from the filtered water station in the Bundanoon primary school.

Bundanoon Supermarket owner Grant McIntosh sold his last commercial water bottle on Wednesday and by Thursday morning had already sold 25 Bundy-On-Tap bottles and ordered a further 150.

Mr McIntosh said customers were snapping up the Bundanoon blue Bundy-On-Tap bottles as souvenirs as well as buying them filled.

“The response has been very good,” he said.

“The public has been very supportive so far.”

Mr McIntosh said like all participating businesses, he was a little uncertain about Bundy-On-Tap at the start, but feedback had been positive.

“I’m sure that we will have some people put out. Five per cent of people don’t like change, but the rest have been fine,” he said.

Although the sale of Bundy-On-Tap bottles won’t compensate for his loss of income from commercially bottled water, Mr McIntosh said he was happy to make the change for the sake of the community and the environment.

“Hopefully, it will all even out,” he said.

“With the official launch, there will be higher interest in the town and hopefully it will substantiate what we are doing.

“From what I can see, it’s full steam ahead.”

Bundy-On-Tap spokesman Huw Kingston said it was extremely heartening that the town had become an international role model for grassroots action.

“As politicians grapple with the issue of climate change, we should never forget that each and every one of us can make a real difference at the very local level,” he said.

“Here in Bundanoon, our aim is to show the Australian and global community, that we no longer have to pay the financial and environmental cost of bottled water.”

Action group Do Something organised for the water stations and filters to be donated by Street Furniture Australia and Culligan Water. Camelbak has donated 2000 bottles and the NSW Government through its Community Economic Development Program has assisted with funding for a “buy local” campaign.

Do Something Jon Dee said residents and visitors would save money and always have access to great drinking water, without the environmental price of bottled water.

“What’s also great is that the retailers will continue to make money by selling refillable bottles,” he said.

The filtered water stations in the main street and at Bundanoon Public School will be turned on at the tomorrow’s launch, starting at 10am at the Bundanoon Memorial Hall.

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Date: Newest first | Oldest first
As an employee of a local small independent bottled water company, I am so upset that the Bundy-On-Tap group is more focussed on being against bottled water and not against Coca Cola and Norlex. I understand the "real" reason, that Bundanoon is venting their spleen against the Norlex and Coca Cola, about not wanting them extracting groundwater from underneath their feet. If I was a Bundanoon resident, I would strongly boycott Coca-Cola goods, not only their Coca Cola caffeine soft drinks, but every drink "owned" by Coca Cola (their bottled water, juices, other flavoured soft drinks, etc).
Posted by GC, 25/09/2009 1:08:46 PM
I agree. Banning bottled water is fine,but whilst Coca-cola, pepsi and other soft drink companies produce bottled drinks we will still be causing massive environmental degredation. Good job Bundadoon! The rest of Australia should follow suit.
Posted by Benjamin, 25/09/2009 7:59:18 PM
I support the ban. In large quantities bottled water can be lethal. It is just not worth the risk. Think of the children.
Posted by JC, 26/09/2009 8:08:01 AM
Since Rural Fire Fighters need supplies of bottled water for drinking when fighting bushfires does this mean Bundanoon will burn to the ground, because the Rural Firefighters do need to drink fresh water when fighting bushfires.Goodbye Bundanoon, you idiots.
Posted by Thirsty Work, 27/09/2009 12:25:17 AM
You have now taken away the choice of many people by banning bottled water. It is disgusting that a small town could do this and replace with those hideous bubblers. I saw a few children using them over the weekend with their mouth all over the ugly looking structure. How often is the filter going to be replaced by the Council? What about health issues? What about vandalism? I certainly wouldn't be using those bubblers. Who knows whats been all over them. Are they going to be cleaned on a regular basis? I really don't think so. Or do they have an automatic system where they clean themselves after each and every use? Now watch Bundanoon struggle financially.
Posted by Queenie, 28/09/2009 8:43:40 AM
Re Thirsty Work, at our brigade we have drink bottles with water, and we refill from an esky. Just as easy and much cheaper.
Posted by nic, 28/09/2009 10:44:06 AM
Go Bundy. What a fantastic, positive role model you are. Well done and keep up the great work.
Posted by KF, 28/09/2009 12:14:45 PM
In the US in coca colas home town,they use the council water,purify it and put it into bottles so if you live in that city you are paying twice for bottled water. I cannot figure why we buy bottled water when we have high quality tap water available or is it a snob thing.
Posted by stanby01, 28/09/2009 12:27:40 PM
Judging from some of the negative comments (plants from the bottling industry?), there still seem to be a few people out there who haven't bothered to acquaint themselves with the real details of the Bundy-on-Tap project. First, no one has banned bottled water in Bundanoon; people chose to give it up voluntarily. Second, no one has removed choice. Filtered water is now even more freely available, instead of forcing people to buy it. Third, anyone who has actually inspected the water fountains would realise that the design of the water spout makes it impossible for anyone to put their mouth on the water outlet or for contaminants to fall on it. In answer to Queenie: yes, the spout is self-cleaning. Fourth, the firefighters all were given new Bundy-on-Tap bottles to use to quench their thirst. Fifth, Bundy-on-Tap has only targeted bottled products that anyone can get out of a tap for negligible cost; however, this does not mean that it supports the sale of soft-drinks. I'm sure that all of us associated with Bundy-on-Tap would prefer that everyone drink water in preference to soft drinks.
Posted by Bobuc, 28/09/2009 2:10:59 PM
What a joke. Seriously this decision will turn away tourists by the truck load/boat load or however they get here. The water fountains are so ugly. Why is not one out the front of Mr Kingstons shop? If that were the case I guess there'd be no room for those tables and chairs, oh and the mongrel dogs that block the footpath each and every weekend, making it difficult for people with prams to get past.

Oh and Bobuc, a child can get his mouth on it, I saw it. My choice has been taken away -I can't buy water if I wanted to.

Posted by Pam, 28/09/2009 4:26:12 PM
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GONE: Grant McIntosh of Bundanoon Supermarket sold his last commercially bottled water this week as Bundanoon prepares to become Australia’s first bottled water-free town. Photo by Robyn Murray
GONE: Grant McIntosh of Bundanoon Supermarket sold his last commercially bottled water this week as Bundanoon prepares to become Australia’s first bottled water-free town. Photo by Robyn Murray

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