Student Action

University of Winnipeg Becomes a Bottled Water Free Campus

By Vinay Iyer, David Jacks and Zoe Maggio

The University of Winnipeg has announced that it will progressively eliminate the sale and provision of bottled water campus-wide by the Fall semester 2009, making it the first university in Canada to do so.

This initiative was spearheaded by students at the University of Winnipeg – the University of Winnipeg’s Student Association (UWSA) recently voted to end the purchase and provision of bottled water at student-led events and meetings, and in a recent student initiated referendum, three-quarters of students voted to eliminate the sale of bottled water on campus with the highest voter turnout in years. The University of Winnipeg’s bottled water ban was the result of months of collaborative efforts by the UWSA, the Canadian Federation of Students – Manitoba and the Polaris Institute as well as students, administration and staff of the University of Winnipeg.

The university will not be renewing its contract with Trainor Inc., a home and office water jug delivery company that has been supplying university offices and departments. Instead, departments and offices are being encouraged to use glasses for tap water at all university administration meetings and events. Bottled water will also be removed from vending machines on campus and signs will be posted indicating the locations of water fountains. In addition, the university will be putting funding towards important water infrastructure upgrades on campus, including the installation of water fountains in prominent areas in three new facilities.

As part of an ongoing national campaign of over a year organized by the Polaris Institute, Canadian Federation of Students and the Sierra Youth Coalition, students are mobilizing and taking action to challenge the corporate control of water on campus. Campus community organizers are raising awareness about the harmful impacts of bottled water – a product that costs much more than tap water , is less regulated, consumes more energy and releases more harmful toxic substances. Organizers are also drawing attention to the impacts of beverage exclusivity contracts, and the lack of access to public tap water infrastructure on Canadian campuses. A survey released in September by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Canadian Union of Public Employees and Polaris Institute, found that 33% of respondents noticed a reduction in the number of water fountains on campus and 43% cited delays in repairing them.

Today, there are over 50 bottled water free zones on 31 campuses - spaces where bottled water is not being purchased or used, alternatives such as glasses, pitchers and reusable stainless steel containers for tap water are being promoted and provided. This is part of a growing movement that includes municipalities, labour and environmental organizations:
- 30 municipalities from 7 provinces have taken action on bottled water and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) recently urged their members to “phase out the purchase and sale of bottled water” in municipal facilities.

The University of Winnipeg has made an important choice in supporting public water services by ending the purchase and provision of bottled water on campus and making access to clean, convenient and environmentally sound drinking water – the only question now is which university will be next.

Vinay Iyer is the President of the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association, Local 8 of the Canadian Federation of Students

David Jacks is the Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students – Manitoba

Zoë Maggio is Polaris Institute’s Water Campaigner