Private companies are increasingly bottling water for profit. And consumers are buying the marketing scheme - so much so, in fact, that the bottled water industry has the largest growth out of all beverages, including alcohol. As consumers are dishing out dollars for what's often just some other city's tap water, companies are getting rich. Some of the biggest players in the water market include Coca-Cola and food giant Nestle.
As corporations push for water to be regarded as a commodity, Public Citizen fights to keep water in the public trust. The United States has one of the most reliable, safe, and affordable public water systems in the world. We need to maintain this system by adequately funding repairs and improvements to our national water infrastructure so that every citizen has access to clean and affordable tap water. Bottled water is not the answer.
In the News:
Sept. 15: OWASA says its water tastes fine
Aug. 1: Bad to the Last Drop
Jul. 14: Buy water, drink bacteria
Jun. 14: Village Council Rejects Coca-Cola License, Company Fined for Tax Evasion - Made in India Coke Products Denied Entry into United States
Mar. 24: Calif. Judge Scraps Nestle Water Deal
Mar. 23: Judge nixes town's spring water deal with Nestle
Mar. 20: Water wars: Bottling up the world's supply of H2O
2004
Dec. 6: Serbia: A Mineral Watershed
Nov. 2: Bottled Water Isn't Always Pure
Nov. 1: "High levels" of bacteria found in bottled water
Sept. 24: Rising Struggles, Falling Water
2003
Dec. 18: Ontario may charge bottlers for water
