Nobody advertises it, it doesn't appear in commercials and it seems to be a given.
Tap water, however, is the result of lengthy treatment and safety processes, a commodity we don't appreciate as much as we could!
With the aim of joining the current global trend and promoting the consumption of tap water in the local hospitality industry - considering water as a common good, not a commercial product - the CRIES Association - Center for Resources for Ethical and Solidarity Initiatives launches the campaign to promote access to tap water, „Good Drinking Water”.
The „Good Drinking Water” campaign aims to encourage representatives from the hospitality industry to provide consumers with tap water from the public network for free. In the coming period, several examples of cafes, restaurants, and locations in Timișoara that are already doing this will be presented. In the future we plan to develop a map of participating venues and anyone interested in joining this initiative can contact us at [email protected] .
„This campaign continues the series of actions implemented by the CRIES association to promote increased access to safe water for all. It is an important moment to raise awareness of the environmental and social impact caused by the consumption of bottled water. For example, in France the Anti-Waste Law of 2022 includes a series of measures aimed at reducing plastic consumption, including the requirement for restaurants to offer customers the option to consume tap water from the public network for free”, says Mihaela Vețan, President of CRIES.
Starting in 2018, the CRIES association has undertaken several initiatives to promote the importance of access to safe water for all, including:
- promoting responsible water consumption within the LA PAS educational program: education for change, implemented in collaboration with several schools in Timișoara;
- promoting the social importance of public fountains in the city, local artists have been involved in creating artistic interventions on three public fountains in Timișoara, highlighting their significance for the city's residents;
- reducing plastic bottle consumption by at least 7,000 bottles during the LA PAS Festival: Artisan Gastronomy Festival in 2022; when for the first time in Timișoara, we banned the sale of bottled water at a festival, enabling free access to water for the public through a partnership developed with Aquatim.
On the long term, the „Good Drinking Water” campaign aims to contribute to:
- increasing the involvement of the state in programs that ensure access to water for all citizens, in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation;
- increasing citizen involvement in civic actions that facilitate access to safe water sources for all citizens;
- increasing transparency regarding the benefits of consuming tap water, including its positive impact on the environment.
The „Good Drinking Water” campaign is part of the LA PAS/Slowing Down project, which is included in the National Cultural Program „Timișoara - European Capital of Culture in 2023” It is co-financed by the Municipality of Timișoara through the Project Center.
This project is part of the national cultural programme "Timișoara – European Capital of Culture in the year 2023" and is funded by the City of Timișoara, through the Center for Projects.