The city of San Francisco bid goodbye to the sale of most bottled water on city property in March 2014. That’s when its Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a historic ordinance vote.
Corporate Accountability International and its allies secured this precedent-setting victory after months of organizing closely with San Francisco city leaders, including the bill’s co-sponsors and champions of the tap: Supervisors Chiu and Mar. We provided the political backing champion supervisors needed by mobilizing on-the-ground grassroots support from our members, small businesses and a committed cadre of organizations.
Indeed, as the water giants continue to push aggressively for private control of water, both in the United States and around the world, this ordinance is an important declaration of our collective commitment to the tap. It increases San Franciscans’ access to their high-quality public water with the installation of new drinking foundations and refill stations throughout the city — and leads the way for other cities, states and national parks to join and Think Outside the Bottle.
