ISSUE BRIEF

Nestlé Waters North America and the

Wacissa River

Issue Overview Nestlé Waters North America, the largest bottled water company in the United States, is evaluating water quantity and quality in Jefferson County’s Wacissa River to determine if it would be suitable for commercial bottling purposes. Company representatives have discussed with local officials and residents, the possibility of withdrawing approximately 400,000 - 500,000 gallons of water per day from springs near the headwaters of the Wacissa River and transporting it in 60 – 75 tanker trucks to Nestlé’s Madison County bottling plant. The Wacissa River is a clear, spring fed river that has been designated by the Department of Environmental Protection as an “Outstanding Florida Waterbody.” The Wacissa is fed by numerous freshwater springs along its 14-mile run to the and is widely known for its abundant wildlife, beautiful scenery, and popularity with local and regional recreational users.

The Wacissa River is at the center of How would this affect the Red Hills? a battle over commercial water Tall Timbers is concerned about the potential impacts of commercial water extraction. extraction on the Wacissa River. Specifically, Tall Timbers is concerned about: (1) the potential impacts of water withdrawals on the ecology of the river and on the people who are dependent on the river for recreation and subsistence; (2) the potential impact to the rural character of the Wacissa community from excessive commercial truck traffic associated with transporting water from the Wacissa River to Madison County; and (3) setting a precedent within the Red Hills region of approving the extraction for bottling and resale purposes of an irreplaceable public resource like the Wacissa River for private benefit.

What can you do? Contact David Still, the Executive Director of the Water Management District (SRWMD), and express your concern that the Wacissa River should not be used as a source of water for commercial bottling. State your support for longstanding recreational uses of the river and traditional rural uses of water in the watershed, which support local jobs. Mr. Still can be contacted at [email protected]

Additional information Additional information is available on the Tall Timbers website (www.TallTimbers.org) and at www.savethewacissa.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Neil Fleckenstein, TTLC Planning Coordinator Phone: 850-893-4153, ext. 335 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.ttrs.org

Published June 2011