The Bottled Water Dilemma

There’s no shortage of negatives associated with bottled water. It’s estimated that 8 million tonnes of plastic bottles end up in the ocean annually. Plastic bottles can take hundreds of years to biodegrade. Chemicals leaching from plastic easily find their way into our water systems, harming us and our environment. Even the promise of recycling plastic bottles is limited by low participation rates, lack of market demand for recycled plastic and the toxic byproducts produced by the recycling process itself.

Throughout the summer, East End United Regional Ministry distributes free bottled water to our community through the Danforth Multifaith Commons Free Water Program, which our unhoused neighbours can access via a cooler outside the Jackman Street entrance of our Eastminster Campus. Bottled water is also included in the bagged lunches given out on Wednesdays through the Free To-Go Lunch program, a responsibility EEURM shares with Danforth Jewish Circle, Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation, and St. Barnabas Anglican Church. This practice has led some to wonder if EEURM has considered the damage we are doing to the environment by providing bottled water. 

EEURM has weighed the benefits of access to safe water against potential environmental concerns. In this case, we believe the good outweighs the bad.

By late July 2025, Toronto had already endured its fifth heat warning of the year, surpassing 2024’s total of four. Factoring in the humidity, temperatures felt as high as 43 C. Exposure to extreme heat makes people susceptible to heat-related emergencies like heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Excessive heat can also worsen the effects of wildfire smoke, a side effect of the climate crisis that is becoming the norm for high-risk Torontonians. All of us must stay hydrated to mitigate the risks of heat and smoke. But we also need to ensure our neighbours without stable housing can do the same.

An average person requires about three litres of water every day to ensure their body can function optimally. Water is life-saving, but too often it is out of reach for those living rough, leaving them even more vulnerable. Supporting our community with accessible water can mean survival. You can go without food, but you can't go without water. 

Beyond the Bottle

City-operated water fountains and bottle filling stations are the next best alternative for people in need of water. Both our Eastminster and Glen Rhodes campuses also have bottle filling stations on-site. Unfortunately, stations like these present a serious drawback for our unhoused friends: the need for reusable bottles. Not only should reusable bottles be washed frequently to keep them food-safe, which is difficult to do without a home, but many of the people we target through these programs simply can’t afford to buy one.

It’s Not Always Black and White

When the federal government’s ban on certain single-use plastics, including straws, came into effect in 2022, it quickly became apparent that this decision, despite being an environmental win, would place an undue burden on individuals who rely on plastic straws for accessibility needs. Plastic straws are essential for people with physical disabilities who have difficulty holding or lifting a cup to their mouth, those who have trouble swallowing and may choke when drinking from a cup and folks with conditions like muscular dystrophy who may need to stay reclined while drinking.

Similarly, we need to hold space for similar nuance in the conversation around bottled water. Like many other social justice programs at EEURM, our bottled water distribution fills a critical gap in services. 

Moving forward, EEURM will try its best to make environmentally responsible decisions while taking into account the context of those we seek to serve.