Well add me to the list of people who will not be using a starbucks cafe. What a complete waste of water and energy. Yes water flows round in a cycle but each time it is pumped from a river into a treatment works, it has to be cleaned for consumption. If starbucks are that concerned about germs, perhaps they should first check all thier door handles, cups and tables for cdif, norovirus and mrsa before worrying about a few spoons under a tap.

Thanks for letting people know this I will never by coffe from starbuck again.

Denny's does this as well. Except Denny's is a 24 hour restaurant so I'm sure it's just as bad as all the Starbucks if not worse. The one I worked at had 4 dipper wells running 24 hours a day, every day, and they were never shut off. I never thought anything of it. However, I personally don't see this as a waste of water. The dipper wells are being used to keep the commonly used utensils clean that are used for different products. They expel a very small amount of water and I'm sure 24 hours of use is about the same as 1 or 2 cycles of their dishwasher.

Bottom line is, there are BY FAR more serious issues out there right now that we should be concerned with!

I guess no one commenting on this has ever worked in a restaurant. Before I go too far the running water is mandated by the Health Department! If you read the article it stated the water was running in a dip well. A dip well is necessary to keep spoons and scoops clean for the next use. In a volume industry such as Starbucks it would be impossible to wash and sanitize a utensil after every use. Don't you have to wait long enough as it is?
Starbucks isn't the only establishment that does this, any ice cream shop and most restaurants have dip wells.
Like that scoop of butter you get on your pancakes at I.H.O.P.? Guess what, the scoop is in a dip well!
I'm not a coffee drinker and I don't patronize Starbucks but I can't see bashing them, especially when they are following the law. Get your facts before you condemn!

what a joke barstucks turns out to be, they must be up there with "coca"(see original recipe)cola, it takes in the region of 3 Lit's to produce 1 Lit of that junk to, CC wastes water in india to the extent that ancient wells run Dry, Go U.S.A. !!!

wow so many comments about this - 73 pages. i have only ever been to starbucks once, and never returned. disgusting TASTELESS coffee. its actually embarrasssing to call it coffee. probably because of TOO MUCH WATER in it and not enough coffee. BLEEUURRGH!!

While I am not saying this is a good thing I think it is funny the way it is spun. MANY chains practice this same method. If you are going to boycott Starbucks you have a long long list of other places you need to boycott too. I worked at IHOP and we had the same running water tap, two in each location.

Sounds like starbucks needs a wakeup call,all those paper cups, sugar wrappers,not very ecological,and this water wasting,what hardly anyone has mentioned is HOW MUCH they charge for a cup of coffee .completely over the top,BOYCOTT them maybe theyll go bankrupt ,coffee is really bad for you anyway!

It just goes to show, branding lies. Don't believe the fancy labels, they want your money and don't care about your health or anything else.

(wast not want not) thats what i was always told