Nestle has announced the immediate closure of a bottling plant in Phoenix, Arizona, US which only opened in 2016.
The company’s factory manager cited increased competition as the reason behind the decision, while the plant has previously attracted criticism for extraction of water from a notably dry, desert geography.
Nestle originally purchased the water used at the bottling plant from the city of Phoenix.
The company said February 11 that it will continue to ship water to metropolitan Phoenix from other sources.
For example, water recovery systems will help meet the factory’s needs, while solar panels will power its front office" and goes on to say "Careful water stewardship is the key to running a sustainable business, wherever Nestlé Waters North America operates.
We’re working closely with the city of Phoenix authorities to ensure that we’re a responsible water user, and that our operations have a positive impact…We expect to buy 35 million gallons of water each year from the city of Phoenix.
Elsewhere in the US, a permit allowing Nestle to boost the amount of groundwater it pumps in the state of Michigan was challenged by activists last year.
The Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC) filed a petition in May 2018 to contest a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) extraction permit in state court.
Nestle Has Alliance for Water Stewardship Certifications In October 2017, OOSKAnews reported a Nestle announcement that twenty factories of the water division of the Nestle Group would achieve Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) certification by 2020.
AWS is a global membership collaboration comprised of businesses, NGOs, public sector offices and sustainability stakeholders.