If you are a fan of Cincinnati tap water, soon you will be able to drink it from a can.
Greater Cincinnati Water Works is launching a project to can the city’s tap water, providing a reserve for residents if a water main breaks but also free water during community events.
The water department has already produced dozens of cases, with thousands of more cans in the pipeline.
Environmental Protection Agency regulations require water companies to provide an alternate source of water to customers if their service is disrupted for 24 hours or longer, such as if a water main breaks.
The project began as a way to comply with the regulation, but Andrea Yang, the water company’s executive director, said they are looking into selling the water and possibly placing it in local grocery stores. The money raised by selling water would go toward customers who cannot afford their water bills or educational events at Cincinnati Public Schools, Yang said.
“Greater Cincinnati Water Works won the best tasting tap water in Ohio,” Yang said during a March 24 presentation to a Cincinnati City Council committee. “We are excited to share this award-winning tap water with our community.”
So far, the production cost for 4,920 cans is about $15,000, or around $3 a can. Jason Fleming, deputy director of operations for the water company, said the more cans produced, the cheaper it will become.
The cans feature an illustration of The Genius of Water – the name of the woman in the statue in Fountain Square – by local artist Evan Verrilli. They are canned at the Urban Artifact brewery in Northside with help from Modern Water, an Over-the-Rhine-based canned water company.
Officials plan on selecting additional local artists for future labels and launching a promotional campaign later this spring with the theme, “Practice Random Acts of Hydration.”
By canning the water, Yang says the water company can support local business while also keeping inventory available instead of purchasing water when needed.
It’s not the first time Cincinnati officials have weighed bottling city water. In 2014, disgraced former city councilman Wendell Young proposed a study on bottling the city water and selling it to offset a rate hike.
North of the city, Hamilton has sold its award-winning tap water since 2010.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Thirsty? Try a can of Cincinnati tap water
Reporting by David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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