A GROUP of about 50 cafes has signed up to do the unthinkable — ask Melburnians to pay for a glass of tap water.

- Cafes to charge for tap water

- Goal to make people water-wise

- Profit used for saving measures



Token sum: A group of Melbourne cafes will charge for tap water during Drink for Change.

The project, touted as a way to make people water-wise, is backed by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and will run for a week from December 1.

Money raised from a "token sum" charged during Drink for Change is to be used by the businesses to install water-saving measures, but it has raised concerns that it could be a softening-up step towards making charging for tap water an accepted practice.