FEMA Dumps Unused Hurricane Drinking Water

[cal04]

One million cans of drinking water donated for hurricane relief have been emptied and recycled because the water was never used at Texas and Louisiana hurricane shelters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said. FEMA hauled the 400,000 liters of water, or 18 truckloads, to a scrap metal business in the Dallas area last month. The water was dumped into a sewer and the cans sent for recycling.

FEMA spokesman Don Jacks said the cans were given by Coca-Cola and other donors in response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. After the evacuees left, the shelters gave the unused water to FEMA, which stored them at its Fort Worth regional distribution center. "We didn't need it anymore," Jacks said.

In addition, expiration dates stamped on some of the 12-ounce, unpainted cans had expired, said Joe Perkins Jr., foreman of Lake June Scrap Metals. Water doesn't spoil, but it can take on the taste of its container, said Ray Crockett, a spokesman for Coca-Cola. The company donated about 40 million drinks, mostly water, during the relief effort, he said.

FEMA is grateful for the donations, but they can be a mixed blessing because the agency must pay for transporting and disposing of leftover goods, Jacks said. Crockett said Coca-Cola was pleased that most of the products it donated reached people who needed them.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DONATIONS_DUMPED?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
can someone please tell me where they sell water in cans

[Taxloss]

1. They sell water in cans in water treatment plants.

Also in a variety of bottling facilities.

If it wasn't used, it wasn't used. This is better than it running out.

[Tab]

2. They don't normally...

at least not that I've seen, but that doesn't mean the Coca-Cola factory can't make it. Coke is, of course, a mixture of syrup and carbonated water, and it wouldn't be a big deal for them to fill it with uncarbonated water (some of their products use uncarbonated water). So it was probably a special run for them, and they made a bunch, which was nice of them. Better to have too much than too little, and FEMA finally reached the point where they didn't need the excess. Was it right to dump it? I don't know, but I don't know what I'd do with 18 truckloads of water either, so....

[bperci108]

3. They don't...

...But the soft drink bottlers can purified water for the military on contract. The cans are just shiny aluminum and have a generic description on them.