The other day, I was on YouTube and came across this video about UNICEF's Tap Project, a minimum-cost fundraising campaign that was started last March in New York City.

Restaurants across NYC signed up to offer $1 glasses of tap water to customers on March 22, world water day, with the proceeds going towards providing clean water to children in areas of the world without proper access. I liked the idea, but didn't think to follow up on the mention that it would be expanded to other places this year.

Yesterday in Union station, however, I noticed the Tap Project logo and realized all the Harvey's employees were wearing Tap Project t-shirts, so I went in and bought a cup of water.

Click through for my review (ha, ha) and details on the Tap Project in Canada.

According to UNICEF, each $1 water purchase will afford clean water for 40 children for 1 day, or 1 child for 40 days if you prefer.

Unfortunately, the Project hasn't been spread as widely across our restaurants as was managed in the Big Apple. Although tap water is being sold for this whole week (starting March 22nd and ending on the 29th), it's only available in Canada through restaurants owned by Cara, i.e. Harvey's, Swiss Chalet, Montana's, Milestones and Kelsey's.

The cause is still an important and good one, so if you're like much of the blogTO readership (and I suspect many of you are) and do your restauranting at independents, there's no need to feel pressured to break that commendable habit over this.

If you happen to pass through Union (or a similar spot) during your day, you can stop in and order just the tap water, and if not then it's very easy to make a donation through the Tap Project Canada website.

Oh, and the water was excellent, but I already knew that.

Photo by Chris Orbz.