"It would be the same for all plastic bottles, not just water bottles (as oponents fail to mention). An answer is to push authorities for a good recycling program for all items which can be recycled in youre local."

Not just water either, in fact I'd guesstimate that 50% of all food stuffs are now packed with plastic. How many crisp packets, packets of frozen peas, frozen prawns, frozen mince, biscuit packets, sachets of sauce, bags of potatoes, chocolate bars, packets of sausages etc. etc. even lettuces in the supermarket are sold in some kind of plastic packaging? Not that I think it's a good idea of course, but bottled water is by no means alone as a baddy in terms of the waste we produce.

As said before, I'd be in favour of returnable, re-useable bottles (anyone remember when they did that with posh lager bottles?) where you get ten pence back (or off next purchase) for returning the bottle.