City of Brandon Eliminates Sale and Provision of Bottled Water

The City of Brandon would like to remind the public that, as of Jan.1, 2012, the sale and provision of single-use bottled water has been eliminated at all City-owned-and-operated facilities. Any existing stock of single-use bottled water that remains at city-owned-or-operated facilities will be sold off in the coming days and will not be re-stocked.

 

This does not mean that City staff or members of the public are not allowed to bring their own single-use bottled water into such facilities. However, all City staff and members of the public are encouraged to bring their own reusable bottles and fill them at available water fountains/bottle filling stations. Currently, filtered and refrigerated water fountains/filling stations are located at City Hall, the Civic Services Complex and the Canada Games Sportsplex. In addition, a mobile fountain/filling station is now being housed at the Sportsplex and will be available for outdoor or on-location events.

 

At the discretion of the City Manager, some exceptions can be made to the City Council-initiated rule. For example, the sale or provision of bottled water will be allowed on the course at the Wheat City Golf Course, during track and field meets at the Sportsplex or during any public emergency situation where the municipal water supply may be compromised.

 

The decision by City Council to officially eliminate single-use bottled water at all City-owned-and-operated facilities follows a decision to eliminate such products at Brandon City Hall in the summer of 2010. The initiative at City Hall was followed by a voluntary elimination of such single-use bottled water at the City of Brandon’s Civic Services Complex in the fall of 2010.

 

With the aid of digital counters on the current fountains/filling stations, the City of Brandon is pleased to report that the initiative has, so far, diverted approximately 50,000 single-use water bottles from the waste stream.