Make free drinking water mandatory in eateries

Expensive sky juice: A bill showing a charge of RM1.50 for water. The writer says making free drinking water available in all food outlets would help shift the default beverage choice away from unhealthy sweetened drinks and towards water. — Filepic/The Star

THE Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy calls on the government and local authorities to introduce legislation or official licensing mandates requiring all restaurants, eateries, cafes, food courts, mamak food outlets, fast-food outlets, and licensed food establishments to provide drinking water to customers at no charge.

This is a simple, practical and low-cost public health measure. Access to free drinking water should not depend on whether a customer is willing or able to buy bottled water, a sweetened drink, or a hot beverage.