Being green by not buying commercially bottled water

Eltham North Primary School bans bottled water | National News | News.com.au

A MELBOURNE school has banned commercially bottled water in what is believed to be a Victorian first.

Pupils at Eltham North Primary School are being told to drink tap water and use only environmentally friendly re-useable containers.

Principal David Foley said the ban was part of the school's green policy, which includes re-useable containers for lunches.

"We have good water in Melbourne," he said.

"It's a waste of money buying plastic bottled water and most of the bottles end up in our waterways or in landfill.

"We don't want students to come to school using soft drink or bottled water."

It is estimated Australians spend about $500 million each year on bottled water.

A bottled water ban was introduced in the NSW town of Bundanoon last month.

But Mr Foley said his school had been moving towards the policy since installing waste-cutting water fountains last year.