DWP’s bottled water is a lot to swallow

Re “DWP Pays to Drink Sparkletts,” Jan. 3

Perhaps the most incredulous statement by officials at the L.A. Department of Water and Power rationalizing its purchase of bottled water is that “some of the bottled water was for remote locations, including the Owens Valley, where DWP employees work without easy access to L.A. tap water.” If this were a joke, it would be in bad taste, but proffered as an explanation, it is an insult to a public that knows the DWP’s disreputable history in taking water from Owens Valley. Indeed, most L.A. tap water comes from the Owens Valley, where it flows naturally from the eastern Sierra despite most of it being siphoned off by the DWP for well over half a century.

MARK STEPHENS

Santa Cruz

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The audacity of Sparkletts bottled water coolers throughout the DWP building disgusts me. I’m thinking those nice stainless steel water fountains dispensing ice-cold DWP water should be the order of the day; think of the PR!

And here’s a thought: If you employees don’t like the taste of the water you foist off on John Q. Public every day, how about stopping off on your way to work and picking up a bottle of your favorite brand -- at your expense.

JON ROE

Los Angeles