To the editor:
The recent Edge column by the Berkshire Women’s Action Group titled “The single-use water bottle ban and GB on Tap: A progress report” incorrectly states that the selectboard wants to “postpone the start of the bylaw until the Housatonic [public water] station is in place and the town and our committee has time to better educate the public.”
This is incorrect in one crucial point. The new bylaw, which prohibits the sale of drinking water sold in single-use PET plastic bottles, is in effect as of Jan. 1, 2019. As of Jan. 1, merchants in town are banned from selling bottled water of one liter or smaller in their stores.
The selectboard has every confidence that businesses in Great Barrington are (or will shortly) be in compliance with the spirit of this locally led initiative to reduce plastic waste.
The selectboard did vote to delay the ticketing process for violations of the bylaw until May 2020, for several reasons correctly listed by BWAG.
It is our hope and expectation that our business community is already complying with this new bylaw, with support from our citizens. It is also our hope that a single ticket will never need to be issued.
Meanwhile, the town is grateful for the leadership of local businesses that have agreed to join the GB on Tap effort. Many are actively promoting GB on Tap by providing water to customers with their own filling stations or offering tap water. The town looks forward to working with our citizens’ groups in support of public outreach and education around this important local effort.
Stephen Bannon
Great Barrington
The author is the chair of the Great Barrington Selectboard
