COUNSEL FOR
Make the low-waste option effortless
Where public authorities confirm that tap water is safe, offering it without a special request makes basic hydration easier and more inclusive.
A default jug still preserves choice: diners can decline it or order another drink. The change removes social and practical friction rather than imposing a ban.
UN Environment guidance prioritises reducing unnecessary single-use plastics and expanding reuse. Refillable water service is a direct hospitality example.
COUNSEL AGAINST
Water safety and custom are local
The World Health Organization stresses risk management from source to consumer. Tap-water safety, taste and public confidence vary widely between and within countries.
Cleaning, chilling and replacing reusable jugs consumes water, energy and staff time. A default can create waste when diners do not want it.
Restaurants operate under different rules and business models. A global norm must not imply that every local supply is safe or that packaged water is never justified.
The judge’s direction
What the evidence can — and cannot — settle
The strongest version is conditional: restaurants should proactively offer tap water where the relevant authority says it is potable, explain its source plainly and let diners decline it. No universal default should override local safety advice.