Metro Vancouver will push on with a campaign to get people to switch from bottled water to tap water despite opposition from bottlers.

The regional district board almost veered off-message while debating the issue Friday when Vancouver Coun. B.C. Lee said there are good reasons some residents consider tap water unsafe.

"It's not the water, it's the tap," Lee said, arguing people who live in older buildings or neighbourhoods fear old pipes may contaminate otherwise safe water.

He said that issue must be addressed if inroads are to be made with recent immigrants, who often come from places where they're taught not to drink tap water.

Other directors quickly countered Lee—arguing no water in the world is safer and tap users are protected by chlorination.

The board endorsed the tap water campaign, which aims to cut bottled water use within Metro Vancouver by 20 per cent by 2010.

Local cities will be urged to phase out the availability of bottled water in civic buildings and install more water fountains and taps.

Bottled water consumes much more energy and resources in transportation and the making of the bottles, and officials say millions of plastic water bottles end up in landfills despite a 73 per cent recycling rate.

The drive is also tied to Metro's water filtration megaproject under construction on the North Shore that is to raise drinking water quality to an even higher standard.

"If we're not prepared to support a $600-million investment with a marketing campaign that says 'Since you paid for it, use it', we'd be pretty foolish," Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan said.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie cast the lone opposing vote, contending the region should simply promote tap water without attacking the use of bottled water.

He said vending machines that are purged of bottled water may end up offering only sweetened high-calorie drinks that undermine good health.

"The alternative is a far less healthy choice than bottled water," he said.

The same argument was advanced by bottler Nestle Waters Canada, which issued a letter denouncing the region's bottled water reduction goal as "political green washing" that will trade public health for environmental symbolism.

The firm argues bottled water consumption actually helps minimize the spread of obesity and diabetes and cites polls showing 60 per cent of bottled water drinkers will choose less healty alternatives if it's unavailable.