Our Approach to Water Rights
We recognize that water is essential for every person and believe access to potable water is a basic human right. We support public water systems but believe that bottled water has an important role to play in society. This is demonstrated by the fact that most people drink both, depending on their needs at any particular time. For example, a March 2008 survey found that 66% of “regular” bottled water drinkers in the U.S. said they also drink tap water [Penn Schoen Berland, March 2008]. Additionally, it found that bottled water consumers are nearly eight times more likely to support (versus oppose) public funding to deliver quality tap water than non-bottled-water drinkers.
Privatization of Water
Nestlé Waters does not privatize water supplies in that we do not buy and manage public water utilities. We purchase some of our water from municipal water providers. In these cases, we pay market rates established by the public water authority just like any other business customer. The balance of our water comes from springs or non-spring sources on company-owned or leased land, or privately held lands. In these cases, we pay for permitting and licensing fees, as well as the cost of infrastructure needed to serve our operations. In almost all cases, governmental authorities set our withdrawal limits through this process. We are committed to complying with all governmental laws and regulations and have not had any permit violations during the reporting period between 2005 and 2007.
Supporting Groundwater Protection Legislation
The protection of groundwater sources is not only critical to the sustainability of our business, but also to the local ecosystems and communities where we live and work. Nestlé Waters has supported laws to strengthen regulations around sustainable groundwater use:
Groundwater Use Law in Michigan (House Bill 5067-5072)
In 2006, Nestlé Waters worked with a broad coalition of stakeholders to support bipartisan legislation that strengthened state water-use laws, clarified permitting processes, and protected water resources and sensitive habitats. Nestlé Waters also supports the adoption of the proposed Great Lakes Compact by all Great Lakes states.
GROUND WATER USE LAW IN MAINE (P.L. 2007, CHAPTER 399, AN ACT CONCERNING THE SUSTAINA BLE USE OF AND PLANNING FOR WATER RE SOURCES)
Nestlé Waters worked in collaboration with the governor of Maine, local legislators, environmental groups and H2O for Maine (an environmental nonprofit) to establish a more consistent, scientific approach to measuring major water withdrawals to ensure they do not have an undue adverse effect on state water resources.
We believe that these laws are critical for protecting groundwater sources and plan to continue working with stakeholders to pass progressive groundwater legislation in other states.