To honor Earth Day consumers asked to use refillable bottles to protect the environment
In recognition of this week's Earth Day celebrations, Tennessee American Water is urging consumers to honor Earth Day as a "plastic bottle-free" day asking them to rely instead on tap water in refillable bottles.
An average of 38 billion water bottles per year – an astounding 85 percent of all plastic water bottles consumed in the U.S. – end up in the trash each year, rather than being recycled.* "The seemingly small decision to drink tap water rather than bottled water can have a major impact on the environment," said Deron Allen, president of Tennessee American Water. "Disposable plastic bottles are ending up in our landfills and increasing fuel consumption through their production and delivery." More than 1.5 million gallons of oil are used each year to produce the disposable plastic water bottles consumed in the U.S., and significant amounts of fuel are required to transport the bottles, as well.
Additionally, consumers can realize significant savings by relying less on disposable water bottles and more on tap water in refillable bottles. Tap water is less than a penny a gallon. Depending on the brand, bottled water costs 250 to 10,000 times more than tap water.
Another notable benefit is that tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and must meet stringent quality requirements. Water treatment plants that provide tap water are tested multiple times per day, and every water utility in the county is required to provide consumers with detailed water quality reports to assure its compliance with EPA standards.
*source: Container Recycling Institute
Tennessee American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest publicly traded water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water services to more than 350,000 people in Tennessee and northern Georgia. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company.With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in more than 30 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
In 2011, American Water is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a yearlong campaign to promote water efficiency and the importance of protecting water from source to tap. To learn more, visit www.amwater125.com.
Contacts:
Tennessee American Water
Kim Dalton, 423-755-7613
Cell:
423-280-1250
Kim.dalton@amwater.com