Saanich could become the first municipality in the region to ban plastic water bottles from its facilities.

Coun. Vicki Sanders will bring a recommendation from Saanich's environment committee to council in the new year, asking that the program be gradually phased in.

Sanders is not aware of any other local municipalities that have imposed such a ban. Other cities in Canada, including London, Ont., and Toronto, have done so, as has the city of Nelson in the Kootenays.

"We need to move on this but with baby steps, so it gives people and people in business time to adjust," Sanders said.

She will suggest that the municipality gradually phase out the use of plastic water bottles at municipal facilities over three years. It echoes a call last year by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The national organization passed a motion encouraging municipalities to phase out the sale of bottled water at their facilities where potable water is available.

Although the plastic water bottles are recyclable, they still have to be manufactured and transported. Between 40 to 80 per cent of plastic bottles end up in landfills.

Some 30 per cent of Canadians say bottled water is their primary source of water. We drink 1.8 billion litres a year.

There's no need for that when most Canadians have high-quality water available, and none at all locally, Sanders said, where water is "of supreme quality and inexpensive. There is no reason not to drink it out of bottles that are reusable."

Sanders is suggesting a gradual change. For example, municipal facilities could provide more water-filling stations with higher necks for people to refill reusable bottles. Gradual implementation would also allow the bottled-water industry to make changes, replacing plastic with something more environmentally friendly.

Not selling bottled water at facilities could have a financial impact on the municipality, Sanders acknowledged, but she said some money could be recouped selling reusable bottles.

The change will take time, but 10 years ago no one even thought of carrying bottled water, she said.

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