Bill would tell state how much of its water goes to bottlers
Cameron Scott
San Francisco Chronicle
08/23/2010
Does the state have a right to know where its water is going?
TGL has reported on the scandal that is bottled water: Companies suck up millions of gallons of public water, then they sell it back to us at a huge markup in plastic bottles that cause serious environmental problems.
A state bill sponsored by Felipe Fuentes (D-San Fernando) will soon get a floor vote to eliminate on part of the scandal: It would require water bottlers to report how much water they take from public aquifers. The governor vetoed the bill last year in a skirmish over the budget.
Also last summer, the City of Sacramento made a deal with Nestle that is stricter than most: It charges the company 65 centers per 100 cubic feet of water, instead of giving it up for free. But the city didn't limit the Nestle's total draw, even as local residents faced water restrictions. And the 65 cent price is 10 cents lower than the generic commercial rate, although Nestle will make a 10,000 percent profit on the water.
