Grand Rapids, Michigan is the next U.S. city to join the effort to “Take Back The Tap.” Following New York, San Francisco and Portland, the Midwestern city has pledged to stop using bottled water in city facilities or at its events.

Take Back The Tap is a two-pronged campaign. It convinces businesses to switch from bottled water to tap water and then further asks people to petition congress for a public trust fund that will finance water infrastructure.

Grand Rapids officially joined this movement Tuesday, as the city promised to stop buying bottled water for use in city facilities or at city events. “Tap water is a better choice than the bottled brands, for our health, our environment and our wallets,” said Mayor George Heartwell.

The city resolution notes that in 2006 Americans bought 33 billion bottles of water, which requires nearly 900,000 tons of plastic and more than 17 million barrels of oil for production. This is outrageous! According to the resolution, bottled water, at $1 per pint, is 2,400 times more expensive than tap water for residents. City water is less than a penny per gallon.

Hopefully other major cities will follow their lead. And fast.

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