Environmentalists urge wildlife officials to investigate bottled water operation

[quaint]

LATimes

In a petition to the state, several environmental groups and local activists called for an investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, arguing that the company BlueTriton Brands is harming wildlife habitat and species by extracting water that would otherwise flow in Strawberry Creek.

The groups said the company’s taking of water has “caused the extirpation of native species and the destruction of riparian habitat — clearcut harm to the public trust.” They urged the state to “take all appropriate enforcement action.”

A spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said the agency has received the petition and is evaluating it.

BlueTriton Brands responded to the petition in an email.

“Responsible and proactive water stewardship is central to everything we do. We’re proud of the work we’ve done and continue to do in Strawberry Canyon, studying, reporting, and managing our operations to help protect the land and natural resources,” the company said. “We will continue to operate in compliance with all state and federal laws.”

Do we ever win?

[CrispyQ]

1. Everything for profit is killing the planet.

Eventually the only species left will be human beings & the animals we deem worthy to keep around - for eating or entertainment purposes, mostly.

[RandomNumbers]

6. to be fair, largely because there are 8 billion people on the planet

What if it were 800,000 instead of 8 billion?

I'm not advocating any strategy to get from 8 billion to 800,000!!!

But my point is, a helluva lot of things that are killing the planet, are killing it because 8 billion people are doing it.

Also I don't know what the ideal population figure would be, but I'm really sure it's less than 8 billion.

I don't know if you will ever get rid of the profit motive from human civilization - humans are what we are.

We better figure out how to live with a shrinking population, and make strides towards doing that shrinking, or there won't be much left to save.

I'm not sure humanity can survive very long after the huge biodiversity loss that is underway.

So humanity may not get a choice about shrinking the population. It expect it will be quite uncomfortable if nature decides to handle that for us.

[CrispyQ]

7. Yes, the 8 billion pound elephant in the room that we can't talk about.

Six billion miracles are enough. I bought that bumper sticker sometime around the turn of the century.

[marble falls]

2. They've got that press release on a rubber stamp. Following the laws is not enough. Strawberry Canyon ...

... sounds like a small family operation.

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2023/pr-bluetriton-ruling.pdfindividuals accusing the company of diverting without a permit and bottling and

State Water Board requires BlueTriton to immediately cease unlawful diversions in San Bernardino Mountains

Company ordered to substantially limit diversions, monitor water use
Sept. 19, 2023 Contact: Ailene Voisin, Information Officer

SACRAMENTO – Following numerous complaints from the public, a multi-year
investigation and an adjudicative proceeding conducted by its Administrative Hearings
Office, the State Water Resources Control Board today adopted an order requiring
BlueTriton Brands Inc. to immediately cease its unauthorized diversions from springs in
the San Bernardino National Forest for water bottling purposes.

The hearings office concluded that BlueTriton (formerly Nestle Waters North America)
does not hold water rights in the forest and issued a proposed order on July 7, 2023,
adopted by the board today, compelling the company to stop drawing water at 10 of its
13 diversion sites.

BlueTriton has 30 days to petition the State Water Board for reconsideration.
“BlueTriton and its predecessors have taken water for decades without a water right
from naturally occurring springs that fall under our permitting authorities as surface
waters. This order not only protects these resources but helps maintain faith in the
larger water rights system, which is a critical tool for the state to manage its limited
water supplies,” said E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the board. “In adopting the cease-
and-desist order today, the board exercised its authority to enforce the water rights
system and protect water resources within its jurisdiction.”

BlueTriton’s facilities are located near Strawberry Creek, a tributary of the Santa Ana
River that provides municipal water to about 750,000 people in the eastern San
Bernardino Valley. At its diversion points, BlueTriton uses tunnels and boreholes to
divert water from eight springs that otherwise would reach the surface. The captured
water is then redirected for bottling at numerous plants, including one in downtown Los
Angeles.

During the state’s historic 2013-17 drought, the board’s Division of Water Rights
received eight complaints from members of the public and a petition signed by 500porting water during a dry period, depleting the creek, reducing the downstream drinking water supply and harming the environment.

After conducting an investigation along with receiving additional information about
allegations that unlawful diversions were continuing, Water Rights staff in April 2021
issued a revised report and a draft cease-and-desist order directing BlueTriton to submit
the following:

· Monthly monitoring reports.
· A basis of right for diversions found within the board’s permitting authority.
· A compliance plan within 180 days pending the final order’s adoption.

In response, BlueTriton in May 2021 requested a hearing before the board’s hearings
office, an independent unit of the board established by the Legislature in 2018 to
adjudicate water rights cases involving administrative civil liability complaints
(penalties), cease-and-desist orders, and revocations of permits and licenses. The
hearing took place over 16 days (January 2022 through May 2022) and included two
field site visits.

Today’s adopted order, which incorporates input from interested parties and involved
multiple revisions, leaves room for BlueTriton to apply for a permit to appropriate water
if it can demonstrate that water is available.
More information about BlueTriton and the Administrative Hearings Office is available
on the board’s website.

The State Water Boards’ mission is to protect, enhance and restore the quality of
California’s water resources and drinking water for the protection of the environment,
public health and all beneficial uses, and to ensure proper allocation for present and
future generations.


All you really need to know: NESTLES. The company that says access to water is not a right and your access to spring water needs to be monetized - by Nestles

https://www.bluetriton.com-news-becoming-bluetriton
Nestlé Waters North America Becomes BlueTriton Brands

The company also owns and operates ReadyRefresh®, a customizable water and beverage delivery service. Based in Stamford, Connecticut with approximately 7,000 associates in the United States and more than 230 in Canada, BlueTriton Brands manages natural resources for long-term sustainability,

[quaint]

3. Thank you.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Thank you for posting this important info, my dear marble falls!

Nestle.

I remember knowing that they were involved in this mess. They've been around a long time, and it's always operating on the same premise: Profit at any cost.

They are purely evil. In the 60's, they had a program in third world countries that involved women dressed as nurses who would go into the hospitals where they would prey on newly delivered mothers, trying to persuade them to buy the formula that Nestle was making. The moms would buy the story and get the formula, only to find out how expensive it was. And if they tried to resume breastfeeding, they discovered that their own superior milk had dried up.

I've always tried to boycott Nestle, but it's damned hard, they've bought up so many companies. It makes my blood boil.

[marble falls]

5. We try hard to not buy Nestles. It is a tricky thing to do. They do not want you to know everywhere they have their ...

... their greedy little fingers. They are the personification of vampire capitalism: totally without conscience.