Nestle has been bottling water since 1843 and has grown into the largest seller of bottled water.
According to Bloomberg, the food and beverage company has come to dominate in the industry in part by going into economically depressed areas with lax water laws. It makes billions selling a product for which it pays close to nothing.
According to California state regulators, Nestlé is diverting seven times more water without permits.
Drinking water is a human right and should be free. Nestlé should not profit from stealing water that is held in the public’s trust. The idea that public rights shouldn’t be sold on the private market is ridiculous.
Now the California water board is investigating Nestlé after several complaints were filed during California’s recent 2015 drought.
The company lacks the full rights to the water being diverted. Several cases argue that Nestlé’s practices during the drought have brought harm the natural environment and its inhabitants.
Nestlé SA started bottling in 1843 when company founder Henri Nestlé purchased a business on Switzerland’s Monneresse Canal.
“Ever the curious scientist, [he] analysed and experimented with the enrichment of water with a variety of minerals, always with a singular goal: to provide healthy, accessible, and delicious refreshment,” reads Nestlé’s website.
According to Beverage Marketing Corp, U.S. bottled water sales reached $16 billion in 2016, up nearly 10 percent from 2015 outpacing soda sales for the first time as drinkers continue to seek convenience and healthier options.
Nestlé alone sold $7.7 billion worth worldwide, with more than $343 million of it coming from Michigan, where the company bottles Ice Mountain Natural Spring Water and Pure Life, its purified water line.
Do you think Nestlé should be profiting on free water?