(SPRINGFIELD) -- Drury University is among the many schools around the area working to have a greener campus.

Drury leaders are planning to create a policy that would change the way people drink water on school grounds.        

It's easy to find water bottles around Drury's campus, but that won't be the case after a new policy is put into place. Bottled water on Drury University's campus will soon be the thing of the past.

"We've been talking about this for several months.  As we've explored the idea with student groups, faculty groups, different groups of staff most people are kind of surprised at first.  They may not fully understand what the big deal is.  Well, bottle water does cost more, but they don't really think about the environmental impact," said Dr. Wendy Anderson, director of
campus sustainability.

Members of the president's council on sustainability are working out a plan encouraging people to find alternative ways of drinking water.

The new policy would cut down on cost and help save the environment by eliminating extra waste that ends up in landfills.

"I think one of the financial benefits are one of the big ones.  Bottle water is anywhere from a thousand times to ten thousand times more expensive then water just straight out of the tab," said Dr. Anderson.

Anderson says tap water maintains higher quality standards than water going into bottled water.

"The perception that water bottle is cleaner is not necessarily true and it may taste better, but taste is sort of a preference thing anyway," said Anderson.

School leaders hope to provide water jugs in buildings across campus, allowing students to fill reusable water bottles.

"I like it because it helps the environment.  Anything that we can do to help will make a difference," said student, Chris Kaempfe.

"Well definitely cutting down on things like global warming and try to make things safer for the future," said student Bannus Chaudoin.

Other college campuses in Missouri are exploring several options and looking at adopting similar policies

"You know a mug on your desk or some other kind of reusable container that you just walk down the hall and fill it up from the water cooler or water fountain or whatever else the source may be for you.  Hey, it gives you
exercise and is just as clean," said Anderson.

The new plan would also discourage water bottles from being used at formal events, catered events and inside administrative offices.

School leaders hope to have the new policy in place by the end of the year which means, people will no longer find water bottles inside vending machines on campus.