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Forget the naysayers who claim bottled water is bad for the environment. Nestle, the massive food company that makes everything from cookie dough to chocolate, obviously considers it to be very marketable. The company just received a permit to tap up to 65 million gallons of natural spring water each year along the Arkansas River for its Arrowhead line of bottled water.
Chaffee County commissioners unanimously reached the agreement with Nestle Waters North America despite opposition from those who see no benefit to the local economy, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. The company pulls water from 50 springs around the country.
While this is its first in Colorado, Nestle has plans for more. The 10-year permit has many stipulations, including wildlife- and land-management programs at the spring site as well as the funding of a $500,000 endowment for projects focused on science and environmental issues in local schools, reports The Denver Post.
Meanwhile, the latest edition of Mother Jones magazine investigates the spin and surprising facts about Fiji bottled water (did you know that it’s imported from a military dictatorship?). But the magazine also mentions Arrowhead in its list of “bottled water with PR challenges,” specifically citing its response to concerns in southern Colorado about “the effect of climate change on local water supplies.”
Posted 8/20/2009 at 12:00 pm by Michael de Yoanna
Business, Community, Environment, Natural Resources, Panorama :: Permalink :: Comments (7)
And what doesn’t get mentioned is that 40 million bottles a day go into the trash or became litter.
Private companies gaining control of our water supplies, one step at a time?
All over the West, water rights are permitted to Applicants for use. The permits always have “terms” for the use of the water rights, which are specific to the user, source of water rights, place of use, point of diversion. The successful Applicant (one who is granted a Permit to use the water rights) will have definite legal paperwork to submit over the course of the permit. Uses fall into various categories – domestic, irrigation, commercial, quasi-municipal, mining & milling, wildlife, recreation, for example.
I understand the process so it’s not odd to me. I don’t always agree with the use of water, nor with the user. But if the laws are followed, then it is okay. In Nevada, one has the right to protest an application for use of the water rights; this leads to a hearing which resolves the dispute. Some applications are denied because the use would damage or hinder prior rights on the source of the water. Other states have different water laws.
I agree that bottled water is a sham and a waste and an environmental disaster. So, don’t buy it. If more people would stop buying bottled water, the business would go away.
And no, I didn’t know that Fiji water is from a military dictatorship.
I rarely buy a bottle of water, and am careful of the brand. I’m an activist so try to act responsibly.
[...] http://www.5280.com/blog/?p=17757 [...]
Nestle is eying at water resources in Sri Lanka as well, they are now building strong public relationships with the people as well as business relationships with the Government.
I want to give a clear message to the Government Authorities. For that I want to know for myself why bottled water is not good,and what are the health and other hazards of bottled water.
[...] the good folks over at Nestle have bought the rights to 65 million gallons of American fresh water to bottle for sale! Chances are, after they siphon [...]
Bottled water is the biggest scam ever–I wish I had thought of it. Yeah, as mentioned above, the bottles that go into the trash (NOT recycled) or become litter is bothersome. I refuse to buy bottled water. I have a Brita water filtering container on top of my fridge and I drink from that. 60% of all bottled water on the market is exactly that—filtered tap water. I see people buying bottled water by the case at the grocery store. Suckers.