WASHINGTON -- Bottled water: It's a healthy alternative to sugary soda, a convenient way to hydrate on the go and, lately, a total faux pas on many college campuses.

Some environmentally gung-ho students are not only glaring at those who choose to chug from disposable bottles rather than Earth-friendly reusable containers, they are also pushing for restrictions on bottled water sales on campus.

At the University of Maryland at College Park, students have persuaded the undergraduate and graduate student governments to stop buying bottled water for their meetings and events. Now large pitchers of tap water are served.

Washington University in St. Louis has adopted a ban in the hope of alleviating the waste going into landfills.

The president of the University of Mary Washington in Virginia forbade spending school funds on bottled water. Goucher College in Baltimore removed bottled water from its dining halls and campus eateries, but not its bookstore and vending machines.

Proposed restrictions often are met with opposition and caution. Some administrators say they want to avoid discouraging water consumption, especially when students can become dehydrated while playing intramural sports (or drinking games). And when a student is standing at a vending machine, a bottle of water is usually the least fattening option.

Some environmentalists worry that bans could alienate students who are just starting to warm to eco-friendly ideas such as running fewer loads of laundry.

Americans purchased 8.45 billion gallons of bottled water in 2009.

First Published: May 1, 2011, 4:00 a.m.