Spring to the Tap

Washington State May Halt Companies from Bottling Local Water

2020-03-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

On February 17, the Washington State Senate passed a bill that would ban new permits for companies planning to extract, bottle, and export water from the state.

The bill outlines the concern of local communities who fear that more large corporations will take advantage of lax regulations and sell a public resource for large profits.

Key language in the current text defines any commercial bottled water as "detrimental to the public welfare and the public interest." The bill includes exceptions to protect public health in the event of a emergency.

The bill still must pass the House and be signed into law by Governor Inslee before it becomes law.

The Future of Stevenson and Cole: Enumclaw Fountain Update

2019-10-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hello bottle-free devotees,

It's been a while since we've shared major updates on Spring to the Tap's Enumclaw Fountain Project. In short, the fountain has been trapped in a cycle of setbacks.

Here's a recap:

As early as 2014, Spring to the Tap identified the corner of Cole Street and Stevenson Avenue as a prime location to install a public drinking water fountain.

We identified this location with the help of the City of Enumclaw for the following reasons:

A mostly city-owned block near a city water line and water meter
Highly visible on a public street corner near the Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce and Arts Alive! gallery (a high-traffic location that could supply water for public events like parades or street fairs)

Spring to the Tap reached their fundraising goal of $16,000 in 2015. After a public meeting at the library and planning the design with an artist, we planned to submit the project plans to the City Arts Commission which would later recommend the project to the City Council.

Designed to be cast in bronze, these were the initial concept sketches presented by Spring to the Tap in 2015.

Aftering a scale model of the fountain toured around town including an Arts Commission meeting, in January 2017 the Enumclaw City Council officially adopted a resolution, effectively paving the way for the fountain to be built and installed in spring 2017. In their resolution, they wrote the the fountain will be a "longstanding functional and artistic symbol of our well-being and our commitment to the health of our community, its people, and our environment."

The fountain was to be installed the following summer. Unfortunately, the project hit a major setback.

The local bronze sculptor who had agreed to craft this unique fountain faced significant hurdles to deliver on the project. In April 2017, Spring to the Tap parted ways with the bronze design.

After meeting with officials from the City of Enumclaw and the local contractor who had agreed donate time to install the fountain, we shifted plans. Instead of the custom bronze fountain, we would settle for a plain free-standing stainless steel fountain, like those found at airports or public parks, and add a commemorative log and plaques that would connect this project back to its Enumclaw roots.

A sketch of the corner of Stevenson and Cole with the proposed steel fountain and commemorative log in place.

However, the artist setback pushed installation date to summer 2018. Then we ran into another roadblock.

In March 2018, as we made agreements to install the new stainless steel fountain on the corner of Cole Street and Stevenson Avenue, a new project for that city block emerged.

The City began exploring the possibility of turning the parking lot between Cole St, Stevenson Ave, Railroad Ave, and Initial Ave into a commercial, residential, and community space. This block is currently home to a public bathroom, Arts Alive! gallery, the Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce, and public parking. The new development was a fine idea, but it represented a huge project that would put the fountain on hold at least until a developer was chosen.

Read more: Enumclaw moves forward with downtown plaza proposal in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald

In early 2019, we reached a tentative agreement to include the fountain on the street corner as part of a local developer's plan to turn the block into a multi-story mixed use development. After delays, the City chose the plan that included our fountain. Finally, a success!

Yet only a few weeks later the new plan was ditched due to budget concerns and again the City struggled to decide on a future for that part of downtown.

According to the City, now a small "park" or public space is the plan for the land between the Chamber of Commerce and Stevenson Avenue. But no plans or timeline have been set.

It's no fault of the City for holding off on the drinking fountain project until they knew more about what would happen between Cole/Stevenson/Railroad/Initial. But extreme bureaucratic difficulties have extended the uncertainty of this area indefinitely, frustrating fully-funded efforts to provide downtown Enumclaw with a valuable community asset.

Spring to the Tap is currently searching for alternative locations including willing private partners along Cole St. to find a permanent home for a public drinking water fountain.

Enumclaw's spring-fed public drinking water is so pure it was once sought after by Nestlé for its bottled water brands. A useful public drinking fountain will showcase our stewardship of our most precious natural resource and our commitment to the well-being of the entire community.

Spring to the Tap is determined to build this fountain as part of its mission to ensure clean, accessible, and sustainable water for all.

If you know a business owner in downtown Enumclaw willing to discuss the potential for collaborating to bring a public drinking fountain to main street—leave us a comment or email us at bottlefreedevoteegmail.com

A Change in Plans

2017-04-16T04:55:00.001-07:00

Regretfully, an unforeseen cost increase with the Enumclaw Fountain Project has forced Spring to the Tap’s board of directors to change plans with the project, moving away from the bronze sculpture design.

Spring to the Tap remains committed to the project's main goal of providing the city a drinking fountain and filling station. A commercially manufactured drinking fountain, still with bottle refilling capacity and pet drinking bowl, will not be as unique, but it will serve the core of the mission to ensure clean, accessible, and sustainable water for all. Additionally, the lesser cost of such a fountain will allow Spring to the Tap to continue to support the community's tap water; for example, by upgrading or repairing existing drinking fountains.

We will provide an update at the next stage of the process. Your support through this effort to date is appreciated.

Enumclaw City Council Approves New Public Drinking Fountain Sculpture

2017-01-15T17:48:00.001-08:00

On Monday, the Enumclaw City Council unanimously approved a resolution accepting the Spring to the Tap Fountain Sculpture into the city's public art collection and approving it to be placed in downtown Enumclaw upon completion.

The drinking water fountain project, proposed and sponsored by Enumclaw nonprofit Spring to the Tap, went through an extended public comment phase led by nationally-renowned bronze sculptor Ross Brown. Beginning in January of 2015, Brown released sketches of the future fountain during an open presentation at the Enumclaw Public Library. After incorporating public input into the design process, Brown finished a 1/3 scale model of the fountain in August 2016. The model was showcased at Enumclaw's Art in the Garden event, the Arts Alive! Gallery, the Enumclaw Public Library, and the Enumclaw City Hall. At each venue, the public contributed comments that will help inform Brown as he designs and casts the final piece. The majority of the comments indicated a welcoming and enthusiastic response to the sculpture.

Three sketches proposed by artist Ross Brown last January.

In October, the Enumclaw Arts Commission moved to recommend the fountain sculpture project to the Enumclaw City Council. The recommendation, along with presentations by Brown and the Spring to the Tap board, was made in November. Council members and the mayor commented positively about the fountain project. And finally, at their first meeting of 2017 this week, the council voted with unanimous approval.

The city council recognized Spring to the Tap's vision of the fountain as a "longstanding functional and artistic symbol of our well-being and our commitment to the health of our community, its people, and our environment." As both a creative sculpture and practical drinking fountain, the arts commission and city council welcomed an addition to its art collection that enhances "both aesthetics and community pride in Enumclaw as well as providing fresh drinking water as a public service."

A model of the Spring to the Tap fountain.

Ross Brown will now begin work on the full-size fountain. We will post the timeline for completion when we have more information. The fountain will be installed on the northeast quadrant of the intersection between Cole Street and Stevenson Avenue.

Spring to the Tap is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness, creating alternatives, and sustaining action in advocacy for tap water. Formed as a small group of Enumclaw citizens, Spring to the Tap envisions a future with clean, accessible, and sustainable water for all.

Fountain Model Arrives in Enumclaw

2016-08-04T10:06:00.009-07:00

The concept model of the fountain has arrived in town from Ross Brown's studio, ready to get acquainted with the Enumclaw community (and they with it!).

Most initial reactions have been enthusiastic, such as:

Love it!

Wow! I REALLY like the fountain. It feels like Earth is reaching out to give its gift of the water.

How cool is that?! I want one of those!

Yup, like.

while a few express reservations:

I need some time to think about that....

Is that how it's going to look?!

We welcome all feedback. We invite you to see the fountain often, spend time examining it, get to know it. One initial skeptic now says:

It's growing on me......

And those loving it find more to love. The relief images are worth close attention. The more we look at them the more we are seeing. And since the final sculpture will be three times this size, it will have even more images and more detail.

We presented the model to the Arts Commission last night (August 3). If it is approved, they will present it to the City Council for a final decision. Then Ross can begin work on the actual fountain.

The model is heading to Art in the Garden Friday evening and will be displayed there over the weekend. Next week it will appear in the front window of Arts Alive and spend some time there. So right away you can get an up-close look at these venues and leave us your comments about the fountain. We'll post notices of other showings, perhaps at the library, city hall, schools....

See it soon and let us know what you think!

Progress on the Enumclaw Fountain Project

2016-05-09T19:03:00.001-07:00

Note: all Enumclaw Fountain Project updates can be found here.

Ross Brown continues to craft a model for the Enumclaw Fountain Project. The clay scale model, which will be revealed for public input early this summer, is larger and more detailed than Brown originally planned. This will enable better feedback from the people of Enumclaw and allow for a smoother transition from clay to bronze form.

The fountain is certainly unlike any other drinking fountain around and it will serve as an educational and functional piece of public art in the heart of Enumclaw.

Stay tuned for the public display dates and location of this beautiful model. After completion, the fountain will be installed at the corner of Cole Street and Stevenson Avenue.

Enumclaw Fountain Is Taking Shape

2016-03-24T20:35:00.000-07:00

You have seen the artist's sketches of his design concept for the Enumclaw fountain (right column on this site). Now sculptor Ross Brown has begun work on the model and sent this photo from his studio. Seeing it in 3D brings the long process for this project to life and helps us actually visualize the fountain taking its place on the corner of Cole and Stevenson. Watch for an update on progress and more photos soon!

Springing Stories - September to December

2015-12-17T12:30:00.001-08:00

Recaps of water, plastic, and other Spring to the Tap related news!

Visit springtothetap.org/p/news.html for a rolling total and archives of all Springing Stories.

The beginning of fall marked the end of one of the worst summers in recent memory. Washington set a record (now in two consecutive summers) for the largest and most destructive wildfires in state history. Across the country over 8 million acres burned this summer, a total reached only five other times in the last 55 years. In part, this results from the world's hottest summer ever, shaping up 2015 to be the warmest year ever recorded––by a large margin.

The trend of increased burning and warming stresses water resources. In California a rapidly declining snowpack (the Sierra Nevada Mountains' snowpack hit a 500 year low) along with water shortages and rising temperatures have pushed Chinook salmon to the brink of extinction. Washington's glaciers are at their lowest levels in 4,000 years despite efforts by rain this winter to remediate lingering drought the depleted snowpack could mean less salmon, stalled hydropower, desiccated agriculture, and dried-up drinking water for years into the future.

During the last few months an alarming number of reports surfaced regarding plastic pollution. We learned that about 90% of seabirds on earth eat plastic. A statistic that will likely become 100% by 2050. Scientist also learned that plastic pollution reached the Arctic, that about half of the world's sea turtles have eaten plastic (and that seven species of sea turtle are threatened by plastic pollution), that there is about a 25% chance that the fish you ordered contains plastic (and maybe even the salt you eat too), and that the ocean may be contaminated by trillions more pieces of plastic than previously estimated.

The problem with plastic pollution is not just its unsightly appearance on our beaches and in our waterways and its potential to kill animals that eat plastic pollution, but also that plastics absorb toxic chemicals and allow them to bioaccumulate in the food chain. A report came out in September that endocrine disrupting chemicals––which can leach from plastics we use everyday––can become even more toxic in the presence of other chemicals.

Many groups are taking common sense approaches to reduce their use of avoidable items like bottled water. The National Parks Service is one agency leading by example, making tap water more accessible in parks across the country. But big corporations like Coca-Cola use exclusive deals with parks to sell over-priced water to tourists, and they do not like these sustainability initiatives. This summer beverage corporations used their influence in Congress to insert a measure into the House spending bill barring the park service from using federal money to support bans. In the final spending bill just passed this December, the only requirement for parks was to issue a report stating how these bans benefit the parks and the public in nineteen national parks across the country.

The importance of a safe, accessible, and sustainable source of water has never been more apparent to some communities. The town of Cascade Locks, Oregon is still in negotiations with Nestle (now for seven years) over a process aimed at transferring rights to Nestle to bottle spring water currently owned by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife used for an endangered salmon hatchery. Locals responded recently by filing a ballot initiative that would give residents a say in whether Nestle could bottle thousands of gallons of water in their town. Meanwhile, groups in California are suing Nestle over its illegal bottling of water on their national forest land.

These efforts highlight the need for a different kind of fight, one to once again value the safety of our water resources. This is a fight against the bigger problem; water schemes deny the right of all people to clean, cheap, and sustainable water. Often Americans dismiss access to water as occurring only in far away places, but even today investment and support for municipal water systems is gravely needed in communities like Flint, Michigan, and within the Navajo Nation.

October 1st, Report: Plastic pollution in the ocean is reaching crisis levels - Fortune

Plastic has infiltrated the ocean’s ecosystem, from plankton to whales.

November 13th, How declining snowpack threatens water supplies - The Christian Science Monitor

A new study examines how far-reaching effects of diminished snowpack could be.

December 15th, The Ocean Is Contaminated by Trillions More Pieces of Plastic Than Thought - Yahoo

Somewhere between 15 trillion and 51 trillions pieces of plastic litters the world’s oceans, a new study has found. That’s three to 10 times more plastic than scientists had previously estimated.

Springing Stories - July and August

2015-08-13T14:09:00.002-07:00

Bimonthly recaps of water, plastic, and other Spring to the Tap related news!

Visit springtothetap.org/p/news.html for a rolling total and archives of all Springing Stories.

To start a hot July and August news update, Spring to the Tap's home state of Washington is currently facing its worst drought in recorded history. The historic-low snowpack is indicative of a drought so bad that even the Queets rain forest in the typically damp Olympic National Park is on fire. The lack of rainfall is severely impacting the Pacific Northwest's salmon runs, with one report stating at least a quarter of a million sockeye salmon returning to the Columbia River are dead or dying due to very warm waters -- a premature-death toll that could rise to 80% of the around 500,000 sockeye returning from sea to spawn. The Columbia River is currently experiencing a 60-year low in water level, but on top of that, officials say, the prolonged periods of above-average summer temperatures make the already stressed fish far more susceptible to disease.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world isn't faring any better. Further south, Californians are trying to plan ahead by spending $55 million revitalizing a desalination plant in Santa Barbara, and another $30 million dumping black plastic balls in a reservoir in Los Angeles (I guess we should blame Obama). In Puerto Rico, their economic troubles are intensified by the worst drought in the history of the territory, causing the government to invest in cloud-sapping water-harvesting technologies. A massive heat wave has doubled the record of consecutive days of extreme heat in Japan, killing 55. Hong Kong recently set a record high temperature, and Germany beat a record high of 105 degrees Fahrenheit previously set last month. In Egypt, blistering heat has killed 61. Indeed, around the world pavement-melting heat has killed thousands of people in the last few months. Widespread record heat and drought are two signs that are forcing millions to consider the grim realities of this climate changed era.

Unfortunately, the little water we have left isn't doing so hot either. A crew working for the EPA in Colorado triggered a massive spill of three million gallons of toxic mine wastewater down the Animas River on August 5th. The orange plume containing arsenic, lead, copper, aluminum and cadmium has now reached Utah and New Mexico according to reports. In the Pacific Ocean, the warmer-than-average waters have created ideal conditions for one of the largest toxic algae blooms scientists have ever seen. Stretching from California to Alaska, the "red tide" is up to 40 miles wide and 650 miles deep in places, and is already having dire effects on fisheries and ecosystems.

If that wasn't enough, New Jersey Governor and presidential candidate Chris Christie recently signed a law allowing cities in his state to sell off their municipal water systems to private companies without public approval. The desire to bypass a public vote makes sense because it would be tough to pass a measure allowing companies to profit from the human right to water as it has led to higher prices and lower quality service for residents across the country. But Christie isn't the only one catering to mega-corporations seeking control of our water. Ever since the waste-reducing act of banning bottled water caught on in National Parks across the country, Coca-Cola has been doing everything it can to fight the measures. Corporate interests recently succeeded, by convincing a member of congress to slip a last-minute amendment into the House spending bill barring the Parks Service from using federal money to support such bans. The National Parks Service responded by claiming it will find money elsewhere to support its sustainability initiatives.

On the west coast, the small town of Cascade Locks, Oregon is still awaiting decision on Oxbow Springs. Nestle is in the seventh year of a process aimed at gaining rights to bottle spring water currently owned by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife used for an endangered salmon hatchery. The multinational company has been making runs at small community springs around the Pacific Northwest for years now, using its massive legal and monetary resources (promising opportunity and subtly smearing opposition) as leverage in economically-struggling cities.

Your top three water-related stories to read for July and August are below. Also be sure to follow those linked above and a visit our rolling total of all news articles now available at springtothetap.org/p/news.html.

August 5th, The Point of No Return: Climate Change Nightmares Are Already Here - Rolling Stone
The worst predicted impacts of climate change are starting to happen — and much faster than climate scientists expected.

July 28th, Warm water killing half of Columbia River sockeye salmon- Register-Guard
More than a quarter million sockeye salmon returning from the ocean to spawn are either dead or dying in the Columbia River and its tributaries due to warming water temperatures.

July 8th, We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health - Washington Post
Fountains were once a revered feature of urban life, a celebration of the tremendous technological and political capital it takes to provide clean drinking water to a community. Today, they’re in crisis.

If you see anything we missed be sure to share it with us in the comments, or on Facebook or Twitter!

Spring to the Tap at Enumclaw Street Fair 2015

2015-07-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

If you stopped by the Spring to the Tap booth at the Enumclaw Rotary Street Fair on July 24 or 25, you just might see yourself in this slide show. We had fun sharing information about issues related to bottled water and appreciate all the local interest.

Springing Stories - May and June

2015-07-01T16:48:00.001-07:00

Bimonthly recaps of all tap water, bottled water, plastic, and other Spring to the Tap related news!

Fracking chemicals detected in Pennsylvania drinking water - New York Times
May 4th, a study found household drinking water in a Pennsylvania town was contaminated with a common fracking chemical likely the result of a faulty drilling well.

Blame Cognitive Biases When Efforts To Conserve Water Aren't Effective - NPR

May 5th, a researcher on human behavior found that people are more likely to opt for curtailment solutions to try and reduce their water use (taking a shorter shower, for example). They found that the most effective water saving strategies, however, usually involve efficiency solutions that incur a one-time expense, like installing a low-flow toilet.

Ban Bottled Water? Industry Scrutinized in Parched California - NBC

May 11th, the bottled water industry is being analyzed during a time of drought in California. Although there may be more egregious overuses of water in the state, the industry still faces criticism for their questionable tactics including bottling water from a national forest without a valid permit.

Nestle Waters' CEO will 'absolutely not' stop bottling water in California — 'In fact, if I could, I'd increase it' - Business Insider
May 14th, Nestle Waters' North America CEO, Tim Brown, refused to step down when called to re-examine Nestle's usage of water during a historic drought.

Nestlé says it will use less water at California plants - USA Today

May 14th, the same day Nestle Waters' CEO claims he would like to increase bottling operations, a statement from Nestle claims the company will invest in new technologies to help conserve water at their California plants.

Washington Governor Declares Drought Emergency - New York Times

May 15th, Jay Inslee declares a statewide drought emergency, citing snowpack levels at 16% of average, which will impact summer irrigation supplies, as well as the potential for a severely dangerous wildfire season.

Nestle Bottled Water Plant Draws Fight in Drought-Stricken Oregon - Bloomberg Politics
May 26th, negotiations between Nestle and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Department of Natural Resources began in 2008 and are still ongoing, and generating more opposition. Nestle is still attempting to acquire the rights to Oxbow Springs in Cascade Locks, a town of 1,235 people.

New federal rules on stream protection hailed, criticized - Associated Press

May 27th, the United States EPA and Army Corps of Engineers released new federal rules to better clarify which steams and tributaries are protected under Clean Water Act regulations.

Scientists say plastic pollution in Great Lakes poses problems beyond cluttered beaches - Star Tribune
May 28th, scientists met at the University of Vermont to assess the threat of plastic in the Great Lakes. About 80% of the pollution in the Great Lakes is plastic, some of that debris is too small to see, and most plastic can harbor toxic chemicals.

Our Water-Guzzling Food Factory - New York Times
May 30th, an opinion on the management of water for agriculture, the largest user of water in California.

Fracking not a 'widespread risk' to drinking water: U.S. EPA - Reuters
June 4th, a U.S. EPA report draft five years in the making concludes that fracking is not a widespread risk to drinking water, but notes that water contamination and other health risks do occur as a result of fracking.

A Better Way For California to Water Its Farms - Wired
June 5th, dry-farmed grapes and tomatoes are less expensive to maintain, better protect the soil, and most importantly use much less water than traditionally irrigated farms. Other techniques like drip irrigation, micro emitters, or carefully choosing crops, provide possible alternatives for an increasingly water scarce world.

Our Fate is Tied To Our Ocean - Huffington Post
June 8th, a round-up of the importance of our oceans as a resource, and ways humanity, with overfishing, plastic, and carbon dioxide, are harming our marine lifeblood.

California Cuts Farmer's Share of Scant Water - New York Times
June 12th, with snowpack at a historic low, seniors water rights holders, some with claims dating back to 1903, face water usage cuts in California.

New NASA data show how the world is running out of water - Washington Post
June 16th, underground aquifers supply 35% of worldwide water use, and twenty-one of the world's largest thirty-seven aquifers have been dangerously depleted in the last ten years.

How A Historical Blunder Helped Create the Water Crisis in the West - NPR
June 25th, in 1922 the states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, and California reached an agreement on dividing the waters of the Colorado River, the only problem is that the states were promised more than the water that actually exists.

Bottled water recalled over E. coli concerns - USA Today
June 23rd, Niagra bottling is recalling fourteen brands of bottled water due to possible E. coli contamination at one of their plants.

Microplastic particles move up marine food chain on B.C. coast: research - Vancouver Sun

June 30th, tiny marine organisms that mistake plastic for food allow microplastics to pass up the food chain, along with the chemicals they harbor, to many different species of marine life, and possibly including humans.

Did you see any other interesting stories the last two months? Be sure to share them with us in the comments, or on Facebook or Twitter!

Spring to the Tap Goes to Federal Way's Family Green Fest

2015-06-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Spring to the Tap participated in the City of Federal Way's "Family GreenFest". We joined other non-profits, public agencies and private businesses that are working toward a greener world. The Fest offered hands-on activities for kids and a contest with a $1000 prize for the best curbside recycling. Booths featuring energy conservation, solar power, organic farming and CSAs, waste reduction and recycling, water management and more provided attendees with information on how to contribute to a healthy and sustainable environment. Spring to the Tap's booth, of course, advocated for choosing tap water over bottled water, and a new 3-D visual portraying plastic- bottle pollution drew a lot of attention.

Our "Message in a Bottle" sculpture traveled to Federal Way with us. Yes, it's now ours, given to Spring to the Tap by Enumclaw's National Arts Honor Society for use at events. Art students Angie Main, Kara Vanderford, Kristen Gustafson, and Hannah Sturmer created the sculpture to raise awareness about the health of our oceans. The messages in the bottles were written by students and staff at the high school. Read them all when you see the sculpture at our next event, maybe Street Fair in July. Meanwhile, take a look at the slideshow of our day at the Family Green Fest!

Spring to the Tap at the Enumclaw School District Art Show

2015-05-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

from the board--

On May 2, Spring to the Tap's board members all happened to attend the Enumclaw School District Art Show. Well, not exactly happened to. For one thing, we knew Austin had photographs in the show (and weren't surprised that he won yet another first place). For another, we wanted to see the sculpture made of discarded water bottles that the local National Art Honor Society was displaying. And thirdly, in coordination with this sculpture, designed and created for awareness of water and plastics issues, STTT was invited to present an exhibit which included our display board, flyers, and new t-shirt.

The sculpture done by the art students was made up of plastic bottles suspended on a framed pavilion-like structure. Each bottle had a message inside: No plastic in the ocean. Please collect our bottles. Can't return these. Dear Company--please recycle bottles. Water fountain access for everyone. (As The Police said way back when, "Hope someone gets my message in a bottle....I'm sending out an SOS...."). (We hope, too!)

The message went out in other forms as well. Several acrylic paintings in the show focused on pollution in the oceans: Mikayla Martin's It's in Our Hands and Polluted Paradise, Angie Main's How Will You Survive? and Anna Joga's Look What We've Done.

Some students openly expressed their concern about widespread use of bottled water at school. "With the drought situation in California, why in the cafeteria here are we served water bottled in California by Nestle?" In the Commons, vending machines offer both Coca-Cola and Dasani. "And if we're going to drink from all these plastic bottles, couldn't we at least recycle them?" We saw bottles being dropped into the bins.

"See, it's going into the trash!"

"That must be the recycle bin."

"No, it's the trash."

"It must say Recycle on the other side."

"No, it doesn't."
It didn't.

Trashing bottles is not district-wide, though. A mom we met talked about the exemplary recycling efforts at Black Diamond Elementary, earning students an Earth Heroes award a few years ago. We're hoping to find that their efforts have inspired other schools in the district to adopt more environmentally-friendly policies.

Another positive note: three new drinking fountains have been installed at the high school that count the bottle-free drinks they produce, and display up-to-the minute stats for that fountain with a read-out: "Helped eliminate waste from 6151 plastic bottles". (That's a start on reducing the 35 billion bottles that Americans throw away each year!)

It was encouraging to us as STTT board members to meet the young people who are concerned about the issues and are using their talents to address them. Thanks, Enumclaw National Art Honor Society, for your interest and advocacy, and for making this connection to Spring to the Tap.

Springing Stories - March and April

2015-04-30T15:56:00.001-07:00

Monthly recaps of all Spring to the Tap related news-- tap water, bottled water, plastic, and more!

California Orders 12 Oil-Field Wells Shut to Protect Groundwater - LA Times
March 3rd, California officials order 12 oil-field wells, including some used in hydraulic fracturing, to stop operating due to concern of groundwater contamination.

California is pumping water that fell to Earth 20,000 years ago - Reveal, from The Center for Investigative Reporting
March 9th, "As California farms and cities drill deeper for groundwater in an era of drought and climate change, they no longer are tapping reserves that percolated into the soil over recent centuries. They are pumping water that fell to Earth during a much wetter climatic regime – the ice age."

Prince Charles calls for end to dumping of plastic in world's oceans - The Guardian
March 19th, Prince Charles says our our "throw-away society" is having a major impact on the ecology of the world's oceans.

Surprise Finding Heightens Concern Over Tiny Bits Of Plastic Polluting Our Oceans - Huffington Post
March 23rd, scientists have been finding that plastic is in everything: deep sea sediments, coral reefs, crab gills, the digestive systems of mussels, German beer, and now, even in the scales of fish, both farmed and wild.

Should bottled water companies sell national forest water? - CBS MoneyWatch
March 20th, despite major water shortages in California, Nestle has been pumping out groundwater from the San Bernardino National Forest with an invalid permit that expired 27 years ago.

Plastic microbeads: A toxic substance in waterways from the Great Lakes to the Arctic - Alaska Dispatch News
March 27th, research shows that the Great Lakes have concentrations of microplastics as high as those in the major oceanic gyres in addition to findings that show that Arctic sea ice is another sink for manmade plastic particles.

Plastic pellets found in puffin tummies - CBS News
March 27th, Scottish researchers discovered that puffins are ingesting plastic pre-production pellets, adding to the list of species shown to eat toxic plastic.

Activists 'Shut Down' Nestlé Water Bottling Plant in Sacramento - Daily Kos
March 27th, protesters blocked the entrance to a Nestle bottling plant disagreeing with their favorable treatment from the local government and their unsustainable water usage during a time of drought.

California Imposes First Mandatory Water Restrictions to Deal With Drought - New York Times
April 1st, California's governor imposes mandatory water restrictions for the first time in the history of the state.

Mediterranean Sea 'accumulating zone of plastic debris' - BBC News

April 2nd, a survey found around one thousand tonnes of plastic floating in the Mediterranean.

ODFW agrees to new approach for Nestle bottled water plant in Cascade Locks - The Oregonian
April 10th, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife agreed to give rights to the water flowing out of Oxbow Springs, which is used to supply an endangered salmon hatchery, over to Nestle for bottling water.

Forest Service: Expired Nestle Water Permit A Priority - The Desert Sun
April 11th, an investigation in March discovered that Nestle is bottling water in the San Bernardino National Forest with a permit that expired 27 years ago, now the U.S. Forest Service is looking into the issue.

Nestlé Waters: Bottled water is not contributing to California’s drought - San Bernardino County Sun
April 28th, a Nestle Waters North American official writes that Nestle bottles an amount of water equal to two California golf courses over the course of a year, and that their operations are not contributing to the drought.

Starbucks bottled water plant draws ire from drought-stricken California residents - Puget Sound Business Journal
April 30th, Starbucks' Ethos brand water, a product supposedly trying to help solve the world water crisis, pumps water for free in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Did you see any other interesting stories the last two months? Be sure to share them with us in the comments, or on Facebook or Twitter!

'Delving Beneath the Bottled Water Industry with Austin Schuver of Spring to the Tap'

2015-04-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

Spring to the Tap recently launched a "Think Global, Drink Local" t-shirt campaign and the awesome team at DesignAShirt.com, where we ordered our beautiful shirts, was eager to learn more about Spring to the Tap in advance of Earth Day on April 22nd. This led to a constructive, and I hope informative, Q&A session which they have published exclusively on their blog.

If you have a few minutes please check it out! Hopefully it will answer any questions you have about bottled water and tap water. You can also grab one of those wonderful t-shirts here. The campaign ends on May 31st!

Springing Stories - January and February

2015-03-01T09:47:00.001-08:00

Monthly recaps of all Spring to the Tap related news-- tap water, bottled water, plastic, and more!

The Politics of Drinking Water - The Atlantic
A history of tap water shows how the growth and importance of clean tap water in the United States reflects the status of the nation.

The Unlikely Champion of a Water Bottle Ban - The New York Times
A story of how Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which operates concessions for many National Parks, is championing efforts to promote tap water, despite losing revenue from their choice not to sell bottled water.

Water and Classical Civilizations - Crash Course Word History
John Green explains how water's life-giving power has influenced the course of world history.

Ocean waste hits home: Plastic-filled fish guts ruins Chilliwack man's catch - The Province
A steelhead trout caught on the Vedder River in British Columbia contained a stomach full of dangerous plastic particles likely ingested at sea.

Corals on the Great Barrier Reef Eat Plastic. And That's Bad - Planet Experts
Scientist have long suspected that a wide range of marine life ingest microplastics, new research adds corals to a growing list of incidental 'plastivores'.

Study Finds Rising Levels of Plastics in Oceans - The New York Times
A recent study pinpoints which countries are likely responsible for the most plastic waste cast off into the oceans.

Did you see any other interesting stories the last two months? Be sure to share them with us in the comments!

Pioneering Oceanographer Captain Charles Moore to Present at University of Puget Sound

2015-02-24T19:05:00.002-08:00

Captain Charles Moore, founder of the Algalita marine research foundation, will be giving a free guest lecture at the University of Puget Sound on March 3rd.

Widely known as the man who discovered the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" in a routine sea voyage in 1997, Moore has since dedicated his life to trying to stop the flow of plastic trash into the world's oceans. His discovery and subsequent groundbreaking research has spawned international advocacy and awareness of marine plastic pollution.

His most recent edition of Plastic Ocean (which he will have available to purchase at the presentation) was released 2011 to chronicle his experience and discoveries with important information on how plastic, society, and the oceans interact.

You can learn more about the current extent of marine plastic pollution by attending his presentation at 5:30 pm at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.

University of Puget Sound's website provides additional information, including directions and the specific location here. Here is an excerpt explaining what will be covered:

My presentation will be “A Month in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch” –the 2014 voyage was my tenth and longest research voyage aboard Oceanographic Research Vessel Alguita. We discovered an island of plastic that I walked on and I will show video of my tour of the island. We also took blood from various fish species to determine the effects of living in a plasticized habitat. I will discuss the difference between samples of plastic and plankton taken at the surface and at 10 meters depth. I will also discuss the use we made of drones to survey the tremendous increase in plastic in the garbage patch.

Enumclaw Water Fountain Public Information Meeting Recap

2015-02-02T22:12:00.001-08:00

Last Monday, Spring to the Tap hosted a public information meeting to share ideas, answer questions, and collaborate with the community about Spring to the Tap's proposal to install a drinking fountain in downtown Enumclaw. The meeting was led by Ross Brown, a nationally-renowned Enumclaw-based bronze sculptor, who will be designing and creating this unique piece of functional art from scratch.

During the meeting Ross presented his ideas for a uniquely-designed drinking water fountain to be installed on the corner of Cole Street and Stevenson Avenue in downtown Enumclaw (left). The video above is a condensed version of Ross' presentation given at the Enumclaw Public Library on January 26th (the premature ending is a result of technical difficulties).

The fountain will include both a traditional drinking water spigot and a bottle refilling mechanism. Its design will meet ADA standards for accessibility. Ross Brown also discussed how this drinking fountain will also represent both the local image of Enumclaw and the significance of global issues surrounding water resources.

Above are three Stage 1 concept sketches Ross Brown presented at the meeting for public review. We welcome any and all ideas that you think might improve the design in any way. Below are some suggestions taken at the public meeting:

A spigot and bowl for passing dogs is a definite feature to be included in the final fountain.
We will explore possible options in reusing or redirecting the water that normally drains away following the use of the fountain, including sanitation concerns.
Also important is the inclusion of local elements that make Enumclaw unique, such as the image of Mt. Rainier and the featured wildlife tracks (including aquatic) and symbols important to the Muckleshoot Tribe in the design of the fountain.
Other great suggestions from community members present at the meeting related to design appearance, aesthetics, and safety.

Using your input to hone his design, Ross Brown will begin the creation of a scale model drinking fountain as the next step in the project. Look for more public events leading up to the presentation of the model this summer!

We would love to hear from you! Do you have any suggestions for the design of the drinking fountain?

Please leave a comment below, email us, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter.

Thanks, and we look forward to receiving your input!

Enumclaw Water Fountain Public Information Meeting

2015-01-12T17:23:00.000-08:00

Spring to the Tap is hosting a public information meeting to share ideas, answer questions, and generally collaborate with the people of Enumclaw concerning the proposed design and future installation of a public drinking water fountain in downtown Enumclaw. The meeting will be led by Ross Brown, a nationally-renowned Enumclaw-based bronze sculptor, who will be designing and creating this unique piece of functional art from scratch. The meeting is on Monday, January 26th, in the Enumclaw Public Library. We would love to see you all there! If you have questions or would like more information about the event email us or connect through Facebook or Twitter.

Scientists Estimate the Amount of Plastic Floating in the World's Oceans

2014-12-14T17:30:00.003-08:00

On December 10th, researchers released an important paper in the journal PLOS One on the quantity of plastic debris in the marine environment. Lead scientist Markus Eriksen co-founded the global nonprofit research group, 5 Gyres Institute, whose collective of data and marine researchers from around the world combined to produce this major study.

The main points: they estimate a minimum of 5.25 trillion plastic particles weighing 268,940 tons floating on the surface of the world’s oceans.

Dr. Eriksen explains the amount of plastic debris estimated as similar to "38,000 African Elephants or stacking 2-liter water bottles from here to the moon and back, twice. Or like laying straws along the equator, end to end, 425 times."

The researchers also released this short video to highlight main points in the paper.

Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans from Chris Jones on Vimeo.

If you're interested in diving a little more in-depth, The New York Times and the Washington Post compiled write-ups with additional detail. Here is the paper in full and if you want to support the efforts of 5 Gyres you can purchase a "Less Plastic, More Ocean" T-shirt here.

UPDATE: Here is a clip from NBC Nightly News on plastic pollution following the paper's release:

Spring to the Tap Granted 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Status

2014-11-03T20:54:00.002-08:00

Spring to the Tap is proud to announce it is now officially a public charity with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code as of October 2nd, 2014. Contributions donated to Spring to the Tap are fully tax-deductible retroactive to June 10, 2013, the date Spring to the Tap incorporated as a nonprofit in Washington State.

Spring to the Tap was launched in the Summer of 2011 to educate the public about the impact that bottled water can have on a person's health, the environment, and the community at large. Originally, it was an 8th grade school project directed towards helping the community become a better place. In June of 2013 Spring to the Tap was incorporated as an official non-profit in Washington State, and in October 2014 Spring to the Tap was federally recognized as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

For more information please email Austin Schuver.

Spring to the Tap

PO Box 471, Enumclaw, WA 98022

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Spring to the Tap is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working towards a future with clean, accessible, and sustainable water for all.

We advocate for tap water on the basis of local and global issues symbolized by bottled water. These issues are manifested in multidimensional plastic pollution and freshwater depletion and privatization. These problems have become rooted in a culture largely unaware of its impacts. Together we can solve these issues with simple day-to-day changes and developing long-term solutions for a healthy and sustainable future.

San Francisco Bans Bottled Water on Public Land

2014-06-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

This spring, the city of San Francisco passed an ordinance to prohibit the sale and distribution of single-use plastic water bottles on public property.

This video highlights the San Francisco city leaders and community members who led the way and includes information on the passing and future implementation of the ordinance, and how it can serve as a model to reduce plastic pollution in cities around the world.

Artists: Request for Proposal

2014-05-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

Assignment: To design and create a drinking water fountain to be installed in downtown Enumclaw.

Requirements: To communicate and work with various people and groups, including utility contractors. To be able to provide accurate budget and design plans ahead of time, and complete project within time and budget parameters.

Preferred: Ability to volunteer time and/or experience. Resident of Enumclaw or Washington State.

Spring to the Tap is a local nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness, creating alternatives, and sustaining action in advocacy of tap water. The fountain will be a public art piece, enhancing both aesthetics and community pride in Enumclaw, as well as providing fresh drinking water as a public service. It will serve to promote public welfare and civic engagement and will be funded and created by locals with community support. It will be a longstanding functional and artistic symbol of our well-being and our commitment to the health of our community, its people, and our environment.

The proposed location is the northeast corner of Stevenson Avenue and Cole Street. Designs should reflect an appreciation for our water resources or natural environment and ideal mediums include bronze or steel. We look forward to meeting with artists about their ideas on both of these subjects.

If interested please contact Austin Schuver at 360 3670611, or email us at bottlefreedevotee@gmail.com as soon as possible and no later than May 30. Please include your name, contact information, and a summary of your work and ideas with a website or example if possible.

Spring to the Tap

PO Box 471
Enumclaw, WA 98022
www.springtothetap.blogspot.com

2014-03-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

King Conservation District Resource Fair

Bill's Country Farm and Feed, Enumclaw, Washington
Saturday, March 29, 2014 from 10am-2pm

Spring to the Tap is proud to speak and have a booth at King Conservation District's upcoming Resource Fair! At our booth you can learn about Spring to the Tap and take a blind taste test to see if you can tell the difference between tap water and bottled water. The fair hosts many local organizations and services which promote the sustainable use of resources through responsible stewardship.

Click to enlarge

Join on the event Facebook and visit King Conservation district's website here.
Also join Spring to the Tap on Facebook and Twitter, and if you want more information feel free to email us.

The Cost of Installing a Home Water Filter

2014-01-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

Not all of us are lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest, or get great water from natural springs like Enumclaw. What if you don't like the taste? Maybe you're concerned with contaminants, or the pipes in your home are getting old, or your body is more sensitive to additives in water (some doctors are prescribing bottled water, which as you will see is ridiculous), or maybe fluoride and chlorine just aren't your thing. Say you buy cases upon cases of bottled water, or even subscribe to a water cooler delivery service, because you can't stand tap. At the store it may seem like a good deal to buy a case of 24 for only $4.99 (especially when one is being sold for around $1.00), or get a blue five gallon jug delivered to your home or business for only $8.99. The question is: at what point does purchasing an under-the-sink water filtration system (reverse osmosis removes chlorine and fluoride) pay off? (When only considering cost. If you considered health effects, environmental effects, etc. it would "pay off" more quickly.)

I did do some math to get there, if you're uninterested in that process jump to the end to catch the answer to your question.

First, let's go over the assumptions I made:

1. I'm assuming that your tap water costs $1.95 per CCF (100 cubic feet), the is the rate for the city of Enumclaw, if you're not in Enumclaw it's likely that your rate is equivalent or lower than this one.

2. I'm assuming that you really don't like tap water (as is the case for people who aren't supposed to drink it at all), meaning that most of your consumption is purchased water. I compared drinking 80 ounces of tap water to 80 ounces of bottled water, which is roughly equivalent to your recommended daily intake of water, adjusted according to WebMD for modern humans (chances are that you're not running around all day) who get 20% of their daily water needs from the food you eat ("approximately 9 cups for women and 12.5 cups for men" I used 10 cups). This is equivalent to 4.7 16.9 ounce bottles a day (which doesn't seem practical, which is why I included water cooler and 24 pack cost).

It's very possible (and in fact almost always the case) that you don't just drink water, or like most of the population don't drink enough water. Juice, soda, or whatever will also contribute to your "water" intake, however it's impossible to calculate how much juice you're drinking etc., these are just general calculations which will give you an idea to how expensive bottled water can be.

I used three price points for bottled water, and in parenthesis is their respective cost for 80 ounces per day:

1. Expensive one bottle purchases (Pepsi and Coca-Cola brands): $1.79 per 16.9 oz bottle ($8.47 per day)

2. Moderately priced one bottle purchases: $1.00 per 16.9 oz bottle, a price is typical of vending machines ($4.73 per day)

3. Cheap one bottle purchases: $0.69 per 16.9 oz bottle ($3.26 per day)

4. 24 pack purchases: $4.99 per 24 pack ($0.98 per day)

5. Blue cooler purchases: $8.99 per five gallon water cooler from a common delivery service with a one-time ~$3 fee for a cooler stand ($1.12 per day)

I compared these to tap water ($0.0016 per day at 80 ounces) with the cost of a home water filter (the tap water cost is so low that you can barely tell the difference in the slope of the line). In one case I gave the bottled waters a $200 head start, as if you choose to install a $200 home water filtration system. In the second bottled water gets a $300 head start, for a slightly more expensive filter.

Let's take a look at the results, in graph form (click to enlarge).

The horizontal axis is time in days, with the entire length being 365 days.
The vertical axis is cost, with the entire height being $1500, as you can see some of the prices easily eclipsed this mark, I will include the year-long cost for each at the end.

As you can see the only difference in the two graphs is the height of the tap water plus water filter line on the graph. The point of intersection between the lines is when the costs are equal, after that point it's money saved. What is the conclusion then? It's apparent from the graphs that it's cheaper to choose tap water, even if you purchase an expensive water filter. Here are the final numbers (colors correspond with the graphs):

If you drink tap water without a filter for a year it would cost $0.59 (yes, that's 80 ounces a day for the entire year). With the filters the one-year cost is $200.59 and $300.59.

If you buy expensive, $1.79 bottled water for a year it would cost $3,092.78.
The $200 filter and tap pays off in 24 days, the $300 filter pays off in 36 days.

If you buy moderately priced, $1.00 bottled water for a year it would cost $1,727.81.

The $200 filter and tap pays off in 43 days, the $300 filter pays off in 64 days.

If you buy cheap, $0.69 bottled water for a year it would cost $1,192.18.
The $200 filter and tap pays off in 62 days, the $300 filter pays off in 92 days.

If you buy 24 packs of bottled water for a year it would cost $359.24.
The $200 filter and tap pays off in 204 days, the $300 filter pays off in 306 days.

If you buy 5 gallon water coolers for a year it would cost $413.16.
The $200 filter and tap pays off in 176 days, the $300 filter pays off in 265 days.

Conclusion: go with tap water. Even if you need to buy a filter to maintain your health or taste preferences it will pay off well within the year.