Monitoring Monday – Celebrating Tap Water Day

Tap Water Day honors one of our most precious resources: drinking water and the public drinking water fountain.

Drinking tap water helps protect our planet!

• Bottled water is generally contained in recyclable bottles however, many of these plastic water bottles end up in the landfill and release greenhouse gases as they break down. According to the Container Recycling Institute, 86% of disposable water bottles used in the United States become garbage or litter, adding 38 billion disposable water bottles in U.S. landfills. The water bottling process releases 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually.

Drinking tap water is safe and healthy!

• Tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and must meet stringent quality requirements. Water treatment plants that provide tap water must be tested multiple times per day, and every water provider in the country is required to provide consumers with detailed water quality reports to assure its compliance with EPA standards.

Access to clean drinking water promotes health equity!

• Bottled water, on average, is significantly more expensive than tap water, which costs only about a penny a gallon in most communities.
• Providing accessible, clean drinking water may help to change drinking habits further away from sugary expensive beverages.

Drinking tap water is beneficial for oral health!

• Drinking fluoridated water at a level that is safe for humans and animals keeps teeth strong by hardening the enamel layer and making it more resistant to decay.

Take a water bottle with you!

• Taking a reusable water bottle everywhere helps you easily keep hydrated, save your money, reduces plastic waste, protects yourself from toxic chemicals, reduces your carbon footprint and environmental impact by using a refillable water bottle.

Public Drinking Fountains

WeTap wants the public drinking fountain to become an essential part of our civic landscape and to help spread positive and accurate information about this basic resource – Drinking Water.

As part of Tap Water Day 2024, WeTap is asking the public to snap photos of their favorite public drinking fountain(s) and place them on your social media using the tag #WeTap #TapWaterDay #PublicDrinkingFountains. Let’s all  herald the importance of the public’s access to clean, safe drinking water by promoting better public access to readily available water fountains.

Use the WeTap App (All Platforms, iPhone and soon a new app for Android) to search for drinking water fountains and hydration refilling stations. https://www.wetap.org/

Erick Burres

Clean Water Team Coordinator

California Water Quality Collaboration Network Facilitator

Safe to Swim Network Co-facilitator

Email: erick.burres@waterboards.ca.gov

Phone: 213 712 6862 mobile

Mailing address: Erick Burres – Clean Water Team C/O SARWQCB - 3737 Main Street, Suite 500, Riverside, CA 92501