The "Eagles Heart Tap Water" campaign is being introduced on campus to promote the use of reusable water bottles and ultimately reduce plastic bottle waste across campus.  This campaign is not original to FGCU; ideas have been borrowed from other higher education institutions such as MIT, UC Berkley and the University of Vermont.

 

Information about tap water at FGCU

The tap water on campus at FGCU is completely safe to drink. FGCU pays thousands annually to ensure the tap water is clean and safe to drink. The tap water on campus is tested weekly and meets all county, state, and federal standards, including the Safe Drinking Water Act enacted by the EPA.  Since bottled water is regulated as a food by the FDA, it is not required to undergo the same testing in certified labs, or report violations, according to the US Government Accountability Office. 

How drinking tap water can help the environment

Significant reduction of bottle waste can reduce FGCU's carbon footprint due to fuel savings from both the manufacturer of the bottles as well as the transportation costs associated with water delivery. According to Earth 911, creating new bottles from recycled plastic uses two-thirds less energy than creating bottles from raw materials. However, the US Government Accountability Office reports that 23.5 percent of plastic bottles are recycled. By reducing the amount of plastic bottles used and ultimately discarded, and recycling what we do use, we reduce the amount of resources used in the process.

 

Where you can get tap water

While the water is safe from any water fountain or sink on campus, a test water refill spigot and informational sign was installed on the water fountain at the Fitness Center in 2009.  The feedback received from both patrons and employees of the fitness center was so positive, vertical refill spigots  as well as water bottle filling stations have been installed in several other locations on campus, including:

• Academic Building 5 – First Floor
• Alico Arena – First Floor and Auxiliary Gym
• Aquatics Center – Both Water Fountains 
• Ben Hill Griffin Hall - First Floor
• Broadcast Building
• Cohen Center– First and Second Floors
• Campus Support Complex – Breakroom and Water Fountain Near Restrooms
• Fitness Center – Near Women’s Locker Room
• Howard Hall – First and Second Floors
• Kleist Health Education Center – Near Restrooms
• Library – Water Fountains on Each Floor
• Marieb Hall – Filling Stations on All Floors 
• McTarnaghan Hall – First and Second Floors
• Outdoor Sports Complex – Second Floor
• Merwin Hall – First Floor
• Reed Hall – First and Second Floors
• Whitaker Hall – First Floor
• Wellness Center

 

Be on the lookout for more spigots and filling stations to pop up on campus!

 

The grassroots Eagles Heart Tap Water Campaign

The campaign fully launched in the fall of 2009, with help from various departments on campus as well as FGCU Student Government. If you consider yourself one of the Eagles who "Heart" Tap Water and want to get involved with the campaign, contact the Work Management Center at 590-1370, or wmc@fgcu.edu.