Town hall chiefs: this idea will cut our waste

Council leaders have given their support to the Evening Standard's Water On Tap campaign.

The Local Government Association praised the paper for promoting the use of tap water in restaurants and offices, saying the policy was "good for the environment and taxpayer".

The campaign would help reduce landfill waste and cut the amount of pollution from vans delivering bottled water, said the association.

Its chairman and Westminster council leader Sir Simon Milton said: "Drinking tap instead of bottled water at restaurants would be another small step in helping reduce the amount we throw away and lower carbon emissions from shipping and delivering the water the capital."

Under new EU laws, councils will be fined £150 per tonne of rubbish dumped in landfill.

Sir Simon said: "For decades people have been able to throw their rubbish away without worrying about the consequences. Those days are now over. There is far more to be done if the taxpayer is going to avoid landfill fines."

Plastic and disposable bottles have been scrapped at the association's London headquarters. It now uses refillable glass bottles with chilled tap water in them.