more signs of a cash crunch at work...

[jay]

SUBJECT: Cancellation of Bottled Water Service

This is to notify you that the bottled water service is being cancelled effective February 28, 2005. While this action is regrettable, it is necessary to bring the Center into compliance with appropriation laws.

... we asked the Environmental Services Division to verify that the tap water at the Center is in compliance with the California Safe Drinking Water Act. In January, they certified that the tap water at the Center has been deemed safe to drink per California's Safe Drinking Water Act (as approved by the US EPA). For this reason, the Center is required to discontinue the use of a bottled water service that is funded by the Center's budget.

Keep in mind that Moffett Field has a dozen Superfund sites on the premises, and no one currently drinks the tap water (it tastes a bit off)...

Comments

[western-slope.livejournal.com]

At my former employer, the tap water was so bad that even a Britta filter didn't help much. (Former NASA Administrator Dan Goldin once made a speech where he commented that the tap water in the South Bay region of So. Cal. was so bad that he ALWAYS drank bottled water.)

Rather than drink this swill or periodically haul in a couple of gallons of filtered water from a safe source, I'd go out to the company's de-ionized water system (which wasn't used too often) and fill up a couple of gallon jugs with it. I told them that the water in the system had to be run through periodically to ensure that it didn't build up any organic contaminants. Which was true.

The water was quite tasty and clean and made great tea.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

excellent creative solution! Too bad that we don't do life-support research in my building, or spacesuits... (wry grin).