Stop the Privatization of Sacramento’s Water by Beverage Bottlers

Stop the Privatization of Sacramento’s Water by Beverage Bottlers

By Dan Bacher

The Nestlé Corporation last year was able to open a bottled water plant in Sacramento with no public input through a back door deal with Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.

The Swiss corporate giant has been the target of a boycott by human rights groups for over 30 years because of the millions of children its infant formula, tainted with contaminated water, have killed throughout the Third World. This corporate criminal is buying tens of thousands of gallons of Sacramento City water at the bargain rate offered to local manufacturers and industries, according to local activist Darien De Lu.

"They filter the water, put it in small bottles, and sell it at standard (many times the cost to them of the water) prices," said De Lu. "The plastic bottles that they put it into become garbage and the bottles leach toxins into the water."

De Lu emphasized that Nestlé set up this new plant in a back door deal without any hearings or special permits - all within the requirements of the law and local regulations.

Have you had enough of this collusion between Mayor Johnson and human rights violators and corporate privatizers like Nestlé?

Then come to the meeting of the Sacramento City Council' s Law and Legislation Committee on Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 3 pm at Sacramento City Hall at 915 I St. The committee will hear staff recommendations to reject an ordinance that would require new beverage bottling plants to apply for conditional use permits.

"This means that the status quo that allowed Nestlé to move into our city with no public review or input, nor any limits on the amount of water it can use, will continue," according to Save Our Water, a local grass roots group opposed to water privatization. "It would also allow Nestlé to expand their operations someday without public disclosure or a public process."

A representative from Save Our Water will be speaking to the committee about the need to create a transparent process, with public participation and environmental review for new and expanding beverage bottling plants.

Everybody concerned about the human rights and water privatization should come to this meeting. We need to let them know Sacramentans do not want bottling companies to automatically have unlimited access to our water.

This may be the last public meeting on this issue. If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, you can submit an e-comment which will become part of the public record. It will only take a few brief moments to make your comment. E-comments must be submitted by noon on Thursday:
http://sacramento.granicus.com/core/events/public/ecommentsform.aspx?guid=4adcc91a-a757-1028-8168-7603ad59b582

Let the City Council know that we, the residents and constituents of the City of Sacramento, DEMAND that all new beverage bottling plants that come to Sacramento in the future must apply for conditional use permits. In addition, feel free to call the members of the Law and Legislation Committee and tell them how you feel.

Last December’s Organic Capital Celebration of Sustainability, sponsored by Organic Sacramento and Friends of the River, honored Jenny Esquivel, on behalf of Save Our Water, and Sacramento City Council Member Kevin McCarty for their efforts to stop Nestlé from opening up their water bottling plant.

The same event also honored Indian Tribal leaders, farmers, legislators, environmentalists and fishermen fighting against the peripheral canal and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s corrupt Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative. The peripheral canal, the MLPA fiasco, and the move by the Nestlé Corporation to profit off Sacramento's public water supply all represent efforts by corporate interests and governmental officials to privatize California's public trust resources.

For more information, go to: http://www.saveourwatersacramento.org.

Below are a sample comment and the contact information for members of the City Council.

Sample Comment: Oppose

I urge you to create stronger protections for both the Sacramento rate payers and the water resources of Sacramento. It is one thing for our City to encourage local manufacturers by offering cut-rate water, when that water is an incidental part of the manufacturing process. Even then, what if their manufacturing process uses water recklessly or, simply, in great quantities - activities extremely inappropriate to limited supplies? Also, we must rule out "water production" at cut rates! Rule well! [500 character limit, including spaces]


The committee members are:

Lauren Hammond
lhammond [at] cityofsacramento.org
(916) 808-7005

Robbie Waters
rwaters [at] cityofsacramento.org
(916) 808-7007

Sandy Sheedy
ssheedy [at] cityofsacramento.org
(916) 808-7002

Steve Cohn
scohn [at] cityofsacramento.org
(916) 808-7003

Here is a link to the staff report recommending no action be taken
http://sacramento.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=8&event_id=21