To Lithuanian local authorities, it is still inconceivable that many people prefer bottled water in favour of tap water. That is why, the water supply companies of the country’s three largest cities – Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipeda – have initiated a promotional campaign (called ‘Water is life. Share’) which will enlist local businesses to spearhead the movement against plastic bottles.
For this purpose, the participating catering establishment will offer their customers free glasses of tap water. What’s more, the city of Klaipeda has announced that participating businesses will get free of charge their first 1000 litres of water every month.
Lithuania enjoys some of the best tap water in Europe
The trend toward consuming bottled water has arisen out of a concern for safety in some parts of the world, but in other places, it is just the result of successful marketing. The Lithuanian municipal water suppliers claimed that the country has some of the best tap water in Europe.
“The quality of tap water in Lithuania is enviably high, compared to other countries. We are one of the few countries in Europe that uses only underground water resources for public water supply. We need to make more use of this advantage. And while the world is “suffocating” from plastic, while Europe is charting a clear direction for the Green Course, choosing to drink tap water is an effortless but significant step towards a conscious society,” confirmed the country’s Minister of the Environment, Simonas Gentvilas.
‘Plastic suffocation’ is a phenomenon in the small Baltic country, as well. It is estimated that Lithuanians throw away as much plastic waste as the weight of four television towers per year, and only a third of this waste goes to recycling plants.
That’s how the idea was born to have local businesses operating in the hospitality sector become valuable partners in the change of habits by serving their customers a glass of tap water for free. The public is encouraged to drink tap water with confidence and reduce the environmental impact of plastic pollution.
“We can assure both residents and businesses that the water supplied in Klaipėda is indeed of good quality, the amount of minerals in it is equal to the daily norm, which is necessary to ensure a high-quality and healthy lifestyle. We check the water quality daily in the laboratory. We hope that this campaign will encourage businesses to become aware, to abandon plastic, which is produced in the world over 350 thousand tons per year, and will encourage residents to use more water, which is necessary for our bodies, especially in summer,” said Benitas Jonikas, general director of the Klaipeda’s water management company.
