Food & Water Watch-Sponsored Bottled Water Legislation Passes State Assembly Committee
2009-03-24
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Food & Water Watch-Sponsored Bottled Water Legislation Passes State Assembly Committee
Assembly Bill 301 will reveal how much water corporations
are bottling for
private profit
San Francisco, Calif.—A bill that would provide critical information about the impact of the bottled water industry today passed out of the California State Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. Authored by Assembly Member Felipe Fuentes and sponsored by the national consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch, Assembly Bill 301 would require bottled water corporations to disclose the volume and source of water they extract and whether that source is publicly or privately owned.
A groundswell of support is building in favor of Assembly Bill 301, with endorsements from over 20 conservation and labor organizations, including the East Bay Municipal Utility District, AFSCME, Clean Water Action, the Planning and Conservation League and the California Coastkeeper Alliance. A similar bill passed the Assembly and the Senate last year before being vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“We applaud Assembly Member Fuentes and the California State Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials for their support of water bottling disclosure,” said Mark Schlosberg, California director of Food & Water Watch. “Given the water shortages California is facing, it is more important than ever that Californians be able to monitor how much water is being taken from their local communities by large corporate bottlers.”
Public support for disclosing water takings is high, according to a recent poll conducted by Lake Research Partners. The statewide survey of California voters found that eight in ten adults think people have a right to know how much water in the state is bottled by businesses for sale.
"California is experiencing a serious water crisis and it is imperative that we promote efficient water management," said Fuentes. "Assembly Bill 301 will give Californians the ability to be informed about the real origins of their water by requiring retailers of bottled water to disclose the source and volume of water that is bottled by corporations in plants across California."
Food & Water Watch, a nonprofit consumer organization based in Washington, D.C., with offices in California, works to ensure clean water and safe food in the United States and around the world. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink. For more information, visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org.