What the Great Lakes Compact Means for Bottled Water

It has been nine, almost ten years since Nestle came to Wisconsin very thirsty for our water. It took ordinary people and turned them into extraordinary human beings. The people of New Haven, where Nestle wanted the springs, and the people of Newport, where the one million sq.ft. plant would have been were basically "sold down the river," due to politics in our DNR and state government, and a few social climbers. We had antiquated water laws. We fought, grassroots style, just as many have to do. It took a year and a half, all our time, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and some lost their health. Concerned citizens filed lawsuits, and the Ho-Chunk people also filed suit. They had history and ancestry at the springs Nestle wanted.

Nestle finally left. Too much bad publicity for the corporation. Then soon we learned Nestle had been in Michigan, searching there while we were fighting here. Our hearts went out to Terri Swier and the folks in Mecosta, Michigan. Now, after a nine year battle with Nestle in and out of court and a million dollars raised for the cost of fighting for their water, Terri and the MCWC (Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation) won in court a permanent injunction reducing Nestle's water removal by 50%. MCWC is to be commended for a brave and courageous fight.

As I write this, another multi-national company, Crystal Geyser/Crystal Geyser Roxane,LLC, is trying it's hand at getting into Wisconsin, this time in the Town of Oxford, Marquette County. And yes, this water bottler is owned by French and Japanese investors with holdings worldwide. And the Great Lakes Compact will not protect us. Our water laws still have loopholes, budgets got cut, and Nestle still has lobbyists in our Capitol working on groundwater laws. How can this be? Water is not, should not be a commodity.

The area from which Crystal Geyser wants to mine our water is filled with wetlands, streams, springs, flora and fauna and families. Our county is the boyhood home of John Muir. We have a county park named after him. It's where he hand dug a well to get water for his family. Just what would John Muir think of his home state not doing everything in it's power to protect our waters; our human and natural environment.

We are fighting again. I guess we never stopped. Until our government protects our water and our human and natural environment from these water miners, we will keep fighting. There is way too much to lose.

I will close now, and thank everyone that followed my thoughts and words. I know we are not alone. I urge you to view Blue Gold: World Water Wars by Sam Bozzo. It tells many stories of privatization and the raping of our waters all over the world. Be prepared - even if you think you know what is happening, you will still learn. Hopefully it will anger and motivate. Do all you can to urge the lawmakers to protect our most precious of natural resources. Water is life.

Peace. Be water wise.

Carol Zimmermann of WI 12:58AM August 15, 2009