Last week five students, four from West Island College Class Afloat and one from Lunenburg High School, made a presentation to council outlining the ecological and financial implications of selling water in plastic bottles, and asking them to consider implementing a ban on the practice in town limits.
The students, who were accompanied by Class Afloat teacher Andrea Cleland, took turns presenting their case, which they called "Drop the Habit," to council.
They told council that access to safe water is a fundamental human need, and as such, should be a basic human right.
Quoting former United Nations secretary Kofi Annan, they said that "contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people and is an affront to human dignity."
According to statistics provided by the students, a nine-ounce bottle of water on average costs $1.50, meaning a gallon of water purchased in containers of that volume would cost about $20.
That means Americans are currently spending $10 billion annually on bottled water, a figure that is increasing with each passing year.
Statistics also show that tests carried out comparing tap water to bottled water show there is no guarantee the bottled product is any purer, or safer, than what comes out of a tap.
In fact, one-third of the brands of bottled water tested showed "significant contaminations that would exceed the regulated laws that are enforced upon tap water."
Studies also show that water bottled in a container made from a plastic known as PET can contain toxic chemicals which result when the plastic in the container starts to break down.
One is a carcinogen that causes liver damage and reproductive problems.
Along with the potential health risks to consumers, bottled water is also detrimental to the environment, as 80 per cent of the 28 billion water bottles purchased in the United States each year end up in landfills.
The students have started a petition in support of their request for the institution of a ban on bottled water in Lunenburg, and have already obtained over 100 signatures of support.
Mayor Laurence Mawhinney commended the students for the thought and time they put into their presentation.
He said the issue is a "very current subject" which has been discussed by municipalities across the country, and which will be put on a future council agenda for further consideration.