Illinois American Water’s parent company, American Water is marking its 125th anniversary this week by launching its “America On Tap” public education campaign. The campaign, which is also being launched the week of the nation’s Earth Day celebrations, encourages consumers to “take the pledge” to drink tap water in recognition of its environmental and economic benefits.

An average of 38 billion water bottles per year – an astounding 85 percent of all plastic water bottles consumed in the U.S. – end up in the trash each year, rather than being recycled. American Water is challenging consumers to “take the pledge” to reduce their reliance on disposable water bottles, with a voluntary online pledge form at http://www.amwater125.com. As consumers complete the pledge form, they are asked to estimate the number of bottles per week they consume, and American Water will track the “savings” to the environment over the course of the year.

The “America on Tap” campaign is part of a year-long consumer education initiative, in honor of the company’s 125th anniversary, designed to raise awareness about the value of water in our lives, and the importance of protecting water quality and supply from source to tap. To kick-off the America on Tap initiative, the company is urging consumers to honor Earth Day as a “plastic bottle-free” day – asking them to rely instead on tap water in refillable bottles.

Additionally, consumers can realize significant savings by relying less on disposable water bottles and more on tap water in refillable bottles. Tap water is typically available from the faucet for about a penny a gallon as a national average. Depending on the brand, bottled water costs 250 to10,000 times more than tap water.

Consumers drinking their recommended eight glasses of water a day from the tap, may spend approximately $3.65 (based on a glass of water being 8 ounces) a year. Purchasing the same amount in bottled water can add up to $1,400 annually. Ounce-for-ounce, bottled water can cost more than gasoline or even milk.

Another notable benefit is that tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and must meet stringent quality requirements. Water treatment plants that provide tap water are tested multiple times per day, and every water utility in the country is required to provide consumers with detailed water quality reports to assure its compliance with EPA standards.