Environment & Energy

Judi Lynn

(160,545 posts) Sun Apr 23, 2017, 06:48 PM Apr 2017

Businesses using trillions of gallons of Michigan ground water

Keith Matheny , Detroit Free Press Published 11:15 p.m. ET April 22, 2017 | Updated 10 hours ago

Michigan utilities, industries and farmers use trillions of gallons of ground and surface water per year, essentially for free

While Swiss-based food giant Nestlé's northern Michigan bottled water operations have raised public ire with its request to greatly expand the amount of groundwater it pumps, it's far from alone in using Michigan waters to make its profits flow.

Utilities, industries and farmers use trillions of gallons of Michigan ground and surface water each year, essentially for free, a Free Press review of data from the state Department of Environmental Quality shows.

The state's largest groundwater extractor — by far — is Pfizer's pharmaceutical manufacturing operation near Kalamazoo, at more than 6.9 billion gallons in 2015, according to DEQ data. That annual groundwater withdrawal exceeds the total water volume of Orchard Lake in Oakland County, or Wayne County's Belleville Lake.

Nestlé Waters North America and its Ice Mountain bottled water plant in Mecosta County ranks 23rd for its volume of state groundwater extracted each year, behind cement and mineral plants, paper companies, utilities, the Post Foods cereal company near Battle Creek, and others.

More:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/04/22/nestle-great-lakes-water-michigan/100741306/

3 replies

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Businesses using trillions of gallons of Michigan ground water (Original Post) Judi Lynn Apr 2017 OP

Privatizing The Commons for the profit of a few. CrispyQ Apr 2017 #1

Trump is going to try to privatize everything, public water, utilities, roads, bridges. This notdarkyet Apr 2017 #2

Nestl' does the same in Florida HAB911 Apr 2017 #3

CrispyQ

(36,478 posts)

1. Privatizing The Commons for the profit of a few.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sun Apr 23, 2017, 06:50 PM

Apr 2017

notdarkyet

(2,226 posts)

2. Trump is going to try to privatize everything, public water, utilities, roads, bridges. This

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Sun Apr 23, 2017, 07:11 PM

Apr 2017

Will help the already extremely rich, get richer off of everything you do. Drinking, bathing, driving to work, turning on the lights. The assets and resources of our country will be given freely to rumps friends, and family. They will not pay for these resources, And will probably raise the prices for basic living expenses to make bigger profits for themselves.

HAB911

(8,904 posts)

3. Nestl' does the same in Florida

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Mon Apr 24, 2017, 08:13 AM

Apr 2017

PROFITS ARE HUGE, RAW MATERIAL FREE

Abstract From Tampa Bay Times(Document Summary)

Nestle says Floridians should be grateful. Its bottling plant has generated taxes and created jobs. "You're talking about millions and millions of dollars in tax benefit," said spokesman Jim McClellan. "It's a very good deal for the state of Florida."

"The current drought has reduced the flow of Madison Blue Springs to record lows," Jon Dinges, director of resource management, wrote to the water management district's governing board. "The drought has become severe since the permit was issued, thus requiring a reduction of the (average daily withdrawal) to ensure resource protection."

Times: "Deer Park ... Since 1873" refers to a spring in Maryland. Since 2004 it has been drawn and bottled in Florida.

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