News from the Take Back The Tap Campaign

UN Must Recognize Water as a Basic Human Right

2006-04-10

Press Release: The UN Human Rights Council missed a critical opportunity to recognize the human right to water. Instead, as a result of lobbying by the United States and Canada, it passed a watered–down resolution protecting a corporation’s right to sell water.

Restaurants Urged to Take Back the Tap

2006-04-10

Press Release: Food & Water Watch kicked off its Take Back the Tap restaurant campaign in San Francisco today, joining forces with the city government to eliminate bottled water in city restaurants.

Kenya Flower Industry is No Bed of Roses

2006-04-10

Press Release: The Council of Canadians and Food & Water Watch launched their joint campaign today to save Lake Naivasha from the clutches of corporate flower farms that have spent decades assaulting the Kenyan lake to grow flowers for export to Europe and other wealthy destinations.

College Campuses Pledge to Take Back the Tap

2006-04-10

Press Release: Bottled water could quickly become a thing of the past on college campuses, as students are gearing up across the country to cut existing contracts with bottled water corporations and rid their campuses of bottled water.

President’s Budget Fails Consumers

2006-04-10

Press Release: The Bush Administration’s proposed 2009 budget falls far short of what is needed to ensure safe food and clean water. In addition to under–funding food safety and water infrastructure, the President’s budget proposal outlines the administration’s continued efforts to shift government responsibility to the private sector.

Mayors Discuss Protecting America’s Water at Annual Meeting

2006-04-10

Press Release: Today mayors from around the country gathered at the 76th annual Conference of Mayors in Washington, DC to discuss their “new national infrastructure agenda” –– increased federal funding for public water.

Need for Water Funding Keeps Growing, Congress Must Act Now

2006-04-10

Press Release: Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency put a price tag on clean and safe water. In their Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, EPA estimates a need for $202.5 billion in water funding, an 8.6 percent increase over earlier estimates.

Election Day Sleeper: Lexington Water Vote

2006-04-10

Investors in utility companies as well as customers of American Water or other private water utilities should be watching closely because this referendum likely will settle what is believed to be the longest-running water privatization standoff in the country.

Press Release: Human Right to Water

2006-03-19

Stimulus Funding a Good Start-But More Is Needed

Press Statement: “The Economic Recovery Bill unveiled yesterday by Congress provides more than $11 billion dollars to improve water quality and infrastructure. Food & Water Watch applauds Congress’s commitment to ensuring the safety and the integrity of the 1.5 million miles of pipes that deliver the water that is essential to our nation’s people and families, economy and environment. The money is, however, a drop in the proverbial national water bucket.

RWE's American Water Criticized at Annual Meeting

Press Release: Widespread consumer complaints could translate into investor wariness as RWE prepares to sell American Water later this year, cautioned U.S. officials, citizens and consumer advocates at the company’s annual general meeting today. RWE has refused to negotiate with communities that want to buy their local water systems from the company at fair market value, prompting some to consider forcing a sale by other legal means, according to consumer rights organization Food & Water Watch.