Free bottled water flows in Naples

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The Navy recently approved an additional $119,000 to purchase bottled water for servicemembers and civilians living off base in the Naples area.


Free bottled water flows in Naples
By Lisa M. Novak, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Saturday, December 6, 2008

NAPLES — The Navy’s program to provide bottled water to off-base residents in Naples will not end in December as previously announced.

On Nov. 25, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter approved $119,000 to be used by the Navy to purchase water to minimize residents’ exposure to the contaminated water detected in many off-base homes.

Previously, Winter had approved $144,000 to get the free-water program started in September. At the time, Navy Region Europe officials said the water would be distributed until "more permanent solutions can be found and implemented."

Late last month, however, officials said the distribution of bottled water would end in early December as funds for the program ran dry. In the meantime, Navy officials were trying to get local landlords to pick up the tab for the bottled water.

In November, housing officials began requiring landlords to provide approved sources of bottled water for American tenants as a provision for signing new leases. The housing office also plans to renegotiate existing leases on roughly 2,000 homes to include the same requirement. The bottled water distribution program is a result of the Navy’s health assessment that started in February following concerns over the decadeslong trash and pollution crisis in Naples. Testing of off-base homes has turned up many instances of bacterial contamination, prompting officials to recommend off-base residents use bottled water for drinking, cooking and brushing their teeth.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59248