Metro Vancouver's world-class tap water is not only tasty, but it is also safe, clean, and tested more frequently than bottled water.
Bottled water may be convenient, but it is not environmentally friendly. It takes three litres of water and up to half a litre of oil to package one litre of bottled water. Millions of single-use plastic water bottles end up in our region’s landfills every year, where they can take over 1,000 years to decompose.
Make a sustainable choice and avoid purchasing bottled water. Drink and serve tap water instead, in reusable water bottles or cups.
Choose
Water Dispensers
- Tap water from your shared office kitchen, using reusable water bottles and/or cups
- Water fountains or Water Fillz stations across campus
- Water dispensers without cooling, that can fill reusable water bottles
Water Filters
- Recycle water filters according to manufacturer instructions
Water Coolers
- ENERGY STAR certified systems, if cooling is required, since water coolers consume power
Dispensers that need to be connected to the water supply require a plumbing permit through UBC Building Operations.
Avoid
- Bottled water when tap water is available, especially if the bottled water is not locally produced
- Disposable cups
- Disposing of water filters in garbage
- Water coolers, especially those that are not energy efficient
Tips and Resources
- Interactive map of water bottle refill stations at UBC
- Why you should drink more tap water
- The story of bottled water
- MetroVancouver's Tap Map app
- Sustainable event planning guide
