Q & A

A: We expect that the winning design will be chosen in December 2008, with manufacture beginning in January 2009. The final carafe should be available throughout London in April 2009.

A: At this stage of the campaign we are focusing on getting carafes in major restaurant chains, however, if the campaign proves successful we may consider supplying them to the public through a major supermarket.

A: We are currently speaking to a number of chains about their involvement and we hope to be able announce partners soon. However, if you would like to get involved, please visit the ‘Get involved’ page to find out more.

A: Exact costs will be established once a design has been chosen. There will be no profit element in the price and we hope to sell the carafes on such a large scale that costs will be kept as low as possible.

A: The winning carafe will selected not only for its exciting design, but also on the basis of its sustainability. We will be looking to designers to take full account of the range of recycled material and manufacturing processes available.

A: The design and operation of Thames Water’s drinking water treatment process are fundamental to ensure London’s water is pure. Constantly monitoring these processes helps Thames Water ensure the water leaving its treatment works meets quality standards. Each year the company carries out almost half a million tests of drinking water, complying with 99.98% of stringent national and European standards. This is amongst the highest in the UK. If you want more information about the quality of water in the Thames Water area click here and enter your postcode.

A: 80% of our drinking water comes from storage reservoirs connected to the River Thames and the River Lee. The remaining 20% comes from boreholes connected to groundwater stores.

A: Water goes though a rigorous set of processes before it reaches customers’ taps, and is monitored at all stages to ensure it is of the highest quality. For more information about Thames Water’s processes visit: www.thameswater.co.uk/waterquality

A: As a finite resource, all water will have been used in some capacity before, however, the actual proportion of water which might have been ingested before it enters supply is tiny. Of the 150 litres of water each person uses each day, only a very small proportion is for drinking (around 2 litres), with the rest used for other domestic purposes. 80% of London’s tap water comes from the River Thames and the River Lee, with the remaining 20% from groundwater. Although it is true that some of the flow in the rivers gets there from sewage treatment works, this water is treated to a very high standard before it blends with other water that reaches rivers through natural process. Water in rivers undergoes natural purification processes that continue in raw water storage reservoirs. All of the water abstracted from rivers goes through advanced water treatment processes and stringent tests to ensure that it is of the highest quality and is safe to drink.

A: No. Analysis of water abstracted from rivers, in storage reservoirs and in tap water has shown no detectable levels of hormones. Laboratory studies have shown that current water treatment processes would be very effective at removing hormones - if they were present.

A: Because of the transporting and packaging involved, bottled water has a much higher carbon footprint per litre than tap water–more than 300 times the CO2 emissions per litre in the case of some imported brands. Thames Water calculates that a litre of its tap water accounts for 0.0003kg of CO2.

A: Thames Water calculates that it’s tap water costs around 0.097p–less than a tenth of a penny a litre–or around 1p for a bucket of water.

A: Leakage remains a top priority of Thames Water, and the company is spending £500,000 every day on tackling it. A massive programme of Victorian mains replacement has been underway in London since 2002, with 720 miles replaced to date. Last year, Thames Water’s investment meant that the company met its leakage target (as determined by the water regulator, Ofwat), for the first time in 7 years and is on course to meet the target for this year.

A: A small, dedicated team is working on this project. Once third party costs have been recouped any profits will be going to charity, so costs are being kept as low as possible.

A: Thames Water will make no profit from this campaign. Once administrative and development costs have been recouped, all proceeds will go to WaterAid for its work in the developing world.

A: We are proud of London’s water and want consumers to know there is a high quality, sustainable alternative to bottled water. We believe this campaign will encourage consumers to drink more tap water. In addition, it will help Londoners to reduce their carbon footprint, by reducing the amount of bottles, which need to be manufactured, transported and disposed of.

A: There is no difference between the quality of bottled water and tap water, however consumers may prefer the taste of one or the other. The quality of tap water, including its chemical composition, is strictly regulated by the DWI (Drinking Water Inspectorate).

A: As environmental awareness, and consumer pressure grows, many businesses, including restaurants, hotels and bars, are taking greater account of how and where they source their produce. We are confident that restaurants will be interested in supporting this campaign on the basis that it makes environmental sense and that their customers are being given a choice about what they drink.